The Resentment System interface flickered before Ye Yin's eyes, displaying a list of items that seemed both bizarre and strangely useful. He scanned the virtual shop, noting the oddities available for purchase.
Resentment System
Lottery: Draw rare items not found in the shop.
Cost: 100 Resentment Points per draw / 1,000 Resentment Points for ten draws.
Recommendation: A ten-draw increases your chances for better rewards.
Special Shop Items:
Surströmming: 10 points
Marrow Cleansing Fruit: 50 points
Black Garlic: 30 points
Soul Cleansing Fruit: 50 points
Bursting Stinky Tofu: 10 points
Lucky Dice: 100 points
Netherworld Essential Oil: 100 points
Powerful Medicine: 50 points
Ding Dong Chicken: 200 points
Want Want Milk QQ Candy: 250 points
"Are the Ding Dong Chicken and the QQ Candy really that special?" Ye Yin wondered aloud. He was genuinely shocked by the prices. One item cost two hundred points, and the other was two hundred and fifty. It was a significant jump from the cheap stinky tofu.
Determined to see what else the system was hiding, he decided to take a gamble. "Let's do another ten-draw!" he commanded. He couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement as the system began to process his request.
The notifications flashed rapidly:
"Thank you for your patronage! You received: One box of Truth or Dare Bubblegum!"
"Congratulations! You received: One Presence Regulator (Trial Version)!"
"Thank you for your patronage! You received: One box of Truth or Dare Bubblegum!"
"Congratulations! You received: One Presence Regulator (Trial Version)!"
The cycle repeated until the light finally dimmed. Ye Yin stared at his inventory. He now had five boxes of brightly colored bubblegum and five small silver devices that looked like knobs from an old-fashioned radio. His lip twitched as he looked at the haul.
"Truth or Dare Bubblegum? A Presence Regulator? What kind of weird items are these?" he muttered.
He picked up the bubblegum first. The packaging was covered in loud drawings of laughing and crying faces. The slogans were even worse, screaming things like, "Chew it to boost your Spirit Power! It's that fast!".+2
Item Name: Loose-Tongued Bubblegum Effect: For one hour, every time you speak, your Spirit Power increases by a tiny amount. Side Effect: You get the 'Loose-Tongued' status, which makes you unable to stop yourself from telling the truth.+4
Ye Yin felt a phantom ache in his teeth just reading that. "This is even more dangerous than the surströmming," he whispered to himself. "It's basically a tool for public embarrassment". Even though it could technically help someone become a Spirit Master or reach the level of a Spirit Grand Master faster, the risk of blurting out secrets was too high. If he gave this to someone like Dai Weisi, the results would be hilarious and devastating at the same time.+4
Next, he examined the silver Presence Regulators. They looked much more professional, featuring a dial with markings ranging from "invisible" to "center of attention".+2
Item Name: Presence Regulator (Trial Version) Effect: Turning the knob changes how people see you. Turning it down makes you easy to ignore, like a piece of furniture. You aren't invisible, but people just don't notice you. Turning it up makes you stand out, making people think you are the most important person in the room. Duration: One hour, with a twelve-hour cooldown. System Note: Perfect for showing off or sneaking around! This trial version is only for the user.+2
"Now this is actually useful!" Ye Yin's eyes widened with interest. This wasn't a direct attack like a Spirit Ability, but for a Spirit Ancestor or even a Spirit King, it was a perfect tool for gathering info or escaping trouble. Best of all, it didn't have any nasty side effects.+2
He felt pretty good about this draw. Even though half of the rewards were "consolation prizes," the items he got had a lot of potential. He decided to test the regulator immediately.
He took one of the cold silver knobs and clicked it one notch to the left. Suddenly, he felt a strange shift in the air. It felt like the lights in the room had dimmed, his presence became dull, and his breathing was so quiet it was almost non-existent.+2
He walked toward the door of his private room just as a maid walked by with a tray of tea. She looked right at him—or rather, through him. Her eyes landed on the wall behind him, and she kept walking without a second thought. To her, he wasn't even there.
"It really works!" Ye Yin thought, impressed.
He then turned the dial one notch to the right to see the other side of the effect. Immediately, he felt like a spotlight was shining on him. When the same maid walked back past the room, she stopped dead in her tracks. She gave him a wide, respectful smile.
"Mr. Ye, do you need anything else?" she asked, her eyes full of admiration.
"I'm fine for now, thank you," Ye Yin replied with a gentle smile. The maid seemed to wake up from a daze, blushed deeply, and hurried away.
"This is great stuff," he said, turning the dial back to the normal setting. He was very happy with the regulator, but his mind quickly went back to the Truth or Dare Bubblegum. A mischievous grin spread across his face. Maybe at the next royal party for the Star Luo Empire, he could offer a piece to a corrupt official. Or even better, what if the Star Luo Emperor had a piece during a meeting with his court? The thought of the Emperor being forced to tell the truth to everyone made Ye Yin want to laugh out loud.+3
He packed away his new treasures, feeling confident. With these tools, his work in the Star Luo Empire would be much easier. His plan was simple: use the Presence Regulator to stay hidden, use his other prizes to help Dai Mubai take control, and keep collecting Resentment Points from his enemies. He was starting to feel like the master of the capital.+3
A short while later, Ye Yin found himself at the Star Luo Imperial Palace. The atmosphere in the Imperial Study was different than before. It wasn't as tense, but it felt much more serious.+1
The Star Luo Emperor sat behind his massive desk. He looked calm and powerful, the kind of man who didn't need to shout to be obeyed. Dai Mubai stood in front of him, looking sharp and confident. The nervous prince was gone; in his place stood a man who looked ready to lead.+2
Thanks to Ye Yin's help, Dai Mubai had already taken over most of the resources that belonged to his brother, Dai Weisi. His power in the empire was growing every day, and his position was finally becoming stable.+1
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