Global Game: I Can Choose Instance Rewards

In an instant, with a rumbling boom, the stone gate automatically slid open to both sides, revealing a dark passage ahead, and spewing out a stench ten times stronger than before, along with muffled roars and hurried footsteps from within the darkness.

"Stay behind me."

Wang Zhifan remained calm as ever. He ordered the boy behind him, who had jumped in fright and stumbled back several steps, to hurry up and follow, then strode forward.

His left hand still held the sheathed Cyan Emperor Saber, but he raised his right hand and flicked out a glowing orb of light, illuminating the depths of the passage.

That was a Light Skill from the Mage Power Treasure Box, temporarily slotted into his Spell Slots.

Immediately, in the depths of the passage lit by the light orb, reeking corpses in all sorts of garb came surging forward.

Some looked like ordinary civilians, others wore leather armor and carried blades and shields like Mercenaries.

Each one was as stiff, foul-smelling, and horrifying as a corpse, yet they moved with terrifying speed and ferocity, launching a fierce assault on the intruders in the passage.

But in the very next instant, these beings that were likely the ghouls Hank had mentioned all froze in place, bodies halted mid-charge, their forms instantly coated in a layer of white frost, unable to move an inch.

Wang Zhifan, having activated the Ice Source Power, stepped forward with his saber past the monsters that had been completely frozen solid, as if he were walking through a massive ice sculpture exhibition in the dead of winter.

The boy Hank, following behind him, was so shocked by the scene that the short sword in his hand slipped from his grasp and clattered crisply onto the stone floor. Eyes filled with disbelief, he muttered:

"Big bro… you're actually… a powerful Mage?"

Wang Zhifan didn't answer. He walked straight on and stopped in the cavern connected to the passage ahead.

In the cavern lay the crooked remains of a massive serpentine skeleton more than ten meters long. Beside it were some broken human bones, a few damaged weapons, and several old chests with their lids pried open and their insides empty.

"We're late. The treasure here was taken long ago."

After a quick inspection of the cavern, Wang Zhifan made his judgment, then turned and spoke to the boy Hank who had hurried to his side.

For once, Hank was not overly agitated. Instead, he rather casually pointed at a stairway opening in the upper part of the cavern wall and replied:

"It's fine, there's still hope. My grandpa said this treasure trove is huge. It's not something that can be cleared out just like that."

"What else did your grandpa tell you about this treasure? Say everything."

Upon hearing this, Wang Zhifan immediately asked without ceremony, and did not rush to lead the boy deeper in.

"Um… back then I wasn't even ten yet, so I don't remember everything clearly…"

The boy touched his own head as he spoke, trying hard to recall—or rather, to decide which parts he should tell Wang Zhifan.

"My grandpa told me this Crystal Ball is very precious. It can take me to a place with lots and lots of treasure…

But it's very dangerous in there. Not only are there all kinds of monsters guarding the treasure, there are also other Mercenaries or bounty Hunters who come seeking riches with their own Crystal Balls…

Grandpa warned me that I must only go in when I'm strong enough, and go with partners I can trust. Take whatever treasure I can find, but never get greedy for loot beyond my ability…"

The boy's explanation gave Wang Zhifan a more complete understanding of this treasure ground.

Simply put, this place was more like a treasure maze set up by some unknown existence, and the Crystal Ball was the key to get in.

The number of keys in the world was neither too many nor too few; you needed a bit of luck to obtain one in your explorations, and each key could only be used once.

There were lots of treasures in the maze, and lots of monsters as well. How much treasure you could bring out depended entirely on your luck, courage, and strength.

Because the total amount of treasure was fixed, those who came early naturally had a huge advantage and could sweep up all the easy-to-get loot.

Those who came later could only gnaw on the hard bones others didn't dare touch—the danger increased sharply, but if they succeeded, the payoff would be greater as well.

Accurate judgment was likewise crucial during treasure hunting. If a party wasn't strong enough but still insisted on coveting wealth beyond their means, they were doomed to die here and become part of the maze's monster horde.

"Why does this whole setup sound exactly like a dungeon… The only difference is that the treasure and monsters don't respawn…"

After listening to Hank's account, Wang Zhifan couldn't help feeling a strange sense of déjà vu he couldn't ignore.

Hank, at his side, had no idea what Wang Zhifan was thinking. Heart surging with excitement, he went on:

"Big bro, I think you must be an extremely powerful Mage! You'll definitely be able to claim those treasures no one else dares to touch!

I know I'm not much help by your side, so if we really manage to get the treasure, I only hope you'll give me enough to treat my younger brother and sister. Everything else will be yours…"

In just a few dozen minutes, the boy's thinking had matured yet again. He actually took the initiative to increase Wang Zhifan's cut of the loot, asking only for the portion he absolutely needed, clearly afraid this powerful thigh he was hugging might suddenly walk away.

Wang Zhifan didn't care much about his proposal. In truth, for an adult, this kind of agreement with no real binding power was hollow—anything could happen when利益 were involved.

But Hank was lucky. Wang Zhifan, who had long been used to seeing all sorts of Epic Layer and even legendary treasures, had very little greed left in him. Unless this treasure trove really contained a one-of-a-kind artifact, he didn't particularly care how the spoils were divided.

The two of them moved on to the next area connected to the cavern, climbing the stairs in the rock wall to reach a spacious platform.

Dried bloodstains were scattered across the platform, and in the center stood half of an inverted cross. Beside the inverted cross was an empty brass chest, its lid flung open.

"Another area that's already been cleared… Next we've got two possible routes. Let's take this one first."

Relying on his senses, Wang Zhifan picked up on something and led Hank into the underground tunnel to the left of the platform.

The tunnel was as dark as ever, with no glowing crystals embedded in the walls. Casting Light Skill for illumination, he saw that further ahead lay a section filled with mechanisms—hidden compartments in the tunnel walls concealing some nasty surprises.

"Looks like two types of attacks: fire jets and poison gas. Seal them all."

He activated the Ice Source Power and plugged the hidden holes with solid ice. The two of them passed through the trap zone without incident and arrived at the next place where treasure might be found.

This area was a small underground lake. The water's surface was calm, but the water itself was dark, making it impossible to see what lurked within. Only at the center of the lake did a light shine up through the water—a golden radiance that would make anyone immediately think of treasure.

"Heh, plenty of water here, just what I need."

Wang Zhifan was in a good mood at the sight. The reason he had chosen this route from the platform above was because he vaguely sensed a large body of water here, and water made it much easier for him to fight or retrieve treasure.

So, while Hank kept his distance and watched the lake warily, Wang Zhifan suddenly stretched out his palm and conjured a gigantic arm of ice, which reached down and grabbed the glowing object at the bottom of the lake's center in one go!

In an instant, a dazzling Gold crown was hauled up from the lakebed by the icy hand formed from the Ice Source Power, breaking through the surface. For the first time, the two of them saw the true face of the treasure.

But the danger lurking in the lake emerged just as quickly.

It was a pitch-black, furious ghost face, as large as a small boat. As it rose from the lakebed, it lunged with gaping jaws at the huge ice hand holding the Gold crown, trying to snatch back the treasure it guarded.

From this attack you could tell the monster's intelligence wasn't high—it failed to identify who the real enemy was and actually chose to attack a temporary construct made of Ice Source Power.

Wang Zhifan did not underestimate it, though. The moment he saw this, he drew his blade and unleashed an Iaijutsu strike.

With a flash of razor-sharp blade light and a shrill, agonized wail, the enormous ghost-face monster—whatever it was—was instantly reduced to nothing but drifting ash.