[Reward: World Tree stem]
[Won a surprise grand prize: Martial Arts inheritance - Five Elements Escape Technique.]
[Congratulations to the host, you have completed 2,000 fishing trips and received the title: no one understands the joy of fishing more than you!]
[At the same time, you will receive the title reward: Divine Fire Pill*3.]
Ethan glanced at the string of system notifications floating before his eyes, bemused at how easily the titles and rewards stacked up.
"No one understands the joy of fishing more than you!"—the phrase hung above his head like some ill-conceived badge from a low-budget online game. Still, he couldn't deny the sense of satisfaction, the quiet pride of a thousand silent moments cast across lake and mist.
He nodded absently. His eyes sharpened—a flicker of thought—and Alicia vanished from his perception.
The koi was released, as always, back to the water. Ethan resumed his solitary fishing with a faint smile as the snow thickened around Echo Lake.
…
