There were many fan-made videos on the old video websites, and ghost-themed videos were a particularly distinct part of them.
These videos often took popular or gimmicky content as their foundation, re-editing it with different dialogues, background music, etc., to create a comical juxtaposition.
Like Lu Ban's videos, what was originally a thrilling video of a supernatural indie game, ended up being remixed by the uploader with festive music, and some of Lu Ban's actions were edited to be comically clownish.
Lu Ban himself was neither a newcomer with two and a half years of practice nor skilled in traditional martial arts lightning whip. Instead of planning to send a cease and desist, he was actually quite happy about these ghost-themed videos.
On one hand, these videos helped to boost the popularity of his original videos. Now the comment section of the very first video he uploaded was filled with "Source of All Evil" barrages, and there would only be more to come.
On the other hand, these videos gave Lu Ban some inspiration and made him think of methods to counteract the strange phenomena.
With this in mind, Lu Ban returned the headphones and phone to the girl and stood up to pack his things.
"Thank you."
After politely expressing his gratitude, Lu Ban took several folklore-related books to the counter to check them out, and left under the watchful gaze of the young female librarian with titles like "The Golden Bough," "Chinese Mythology Studies," and "Witchcraft, Science and Religion" in hand.
Back in his sunny home, Lu Ban did not feel terror but was engrossed in reading the books he borrowed.
Although the content of the books was all about death, souls, sacrifices, and slaughter, Lu Ban reveled in it.
For him, who might experience even more in the future, this knowledge was the most valuable treasure.
Evening, seven o'clock.
The last touch of the early summer sunset faded between tall buildings, and a gossamer veil of deep twilight enshrouded the entire Jiangcheng.
The description of a living sacrifice that Lu Ban was reading suddenly twisted into cold, pale text.
[Congratulations on completing the career development task.]
[Settlement will now commence.]
[Exploration degree of the task: 80%.]
[Task completion status: Outstanding.]
[The success of a video depends not only on its quality but also on the trend of the times. You're fortunate.]
[Silence Points earned: 2000 points.]
[Career advancement reward acquired: "Testament".]
[Settlement completed.]
[A video with a million views is just a small beginning. Continue to gather inspiration and create more excellent works!]
[Please complete the task to receive your reward.]
The illustrations in the book that depicted the blood ritual process gradually warped, as the rotting heads hung in effigy emitted a firefly-like green light from their eyes, with three heads being particularly conspicuous.
Lu Ban now understood that collecting inspiration most likely meant doing some death-defying, thrilling ventures.
These three heads must hold the clues to his next task.
But for now, he didn't dwell on it and instead checked the reward he had just received.
"...2000 Silence Points!??"
Lu Ban was initially taken aback by the Silence Points displayed in his personal status bar.
Wait a second.
Does this mean that struggling to play a supernatural indie game late at night instead of sleeping earns far less than making a video that happens to go viral with millions of views?
When Lu Ban first looked at the items in the Silent Department Store, which cost several hundred points, he felt everything was expensive.
But now, in just one day, he had everything.
"The internet is truly amazing!" Lu Ban exclaimed.
In the first phase of the Silent Department Store, the most expensive items cost only three to four thousand Silence Points. With these two thousand points, Lu Ban could arm himself with several items.
Thinking carefully, one was a common task, the other a career development task—perhaps the career development task was the main questline?
Lu Ban didn't rush to spend his points; instead, he decided to check the reward from the career development task.
"Testament"... could it be the location of some buried treasure?"
He idly thought as he flipped through the pages, where information about "Testament" emerged amidst the text discussing Egyptian concepts of life and death and the pyramids.
Testament
Inherent
[Refineable]
A left-handed revolver, not using common bullets, but language and text
Below this simple explanation was gold embossed text similar to the dice of All-In.
In the Abandoned Capital, a proverb is passed down, language too is a weapon
Fire can burn the body, blades can slit the throat, calamities attempt to erase evidence of sin
But language and thought are immortal
"— it's yours now"
Almost the moment he saw the information, Lu Ban's mind seemed to be forcibly stuffed, as knowledge about this ability was poured into him.
With the palm of his right hand facing up and slightly open, he could see an ethereal left-handed revolver appearing there.
Lu Ban grasped it, its substantial weight reassuring. This was the first time he had acquired a physical object from the System and, if he wasn't going mad and having delusions, then the power of this System probably far exceeded Lu Ban's imagination.
He carefully examined the handgun that was both illusory and real in his hand.
The barrel of the left-handed revolver was slightly longer, and the caliber was very large; rather than calling it a handgun, it would be more appropriate to call it a hand cannon. Being hit head-on with a bullet of such caliber would likely be troublesome, he thought.
The cylinder was empty, yet incredibly, Lu Ban had already mastered how to use it, as if he knew it by birth.
"I am Lu Ban."
With the cylinder ejected, Lu Ban spoke a sentence, and following his will, a loaded bullet appeared in the empty chamber of the left-handed revolver.
Closing the cylinder, he rotated the single bullet into the firing position, lifted the handgun, and pointed the muzzle at his temple.
In no world had Lu Ban ever made such a move.
But he pulled the trigger without hesitation, as naturally as switching on an air conditioner or turning off a television that was playing a soap opera.
Bang—
A loud gunshot followed by the shockwave ensued, but curiously, the fragile pages seemed not to notice the change in the air, and not even the summer insects outside were silenced by the sound of the shot.
That pitch-black bullet drilled into Lu Ban's temple and disappeared like a stone sinking into a lake surface, leaving behind slight ripples.
Lu Ban lowered the gun and then spoke out.
"I am Lu Ban."
The sentence was identical to what he had said before, as precise and meticulous as a German-made repeater, not a single detail amiss.
"I am Lu Ban."
Lu Ban continued to speak.
Despite his efforts to change the tone, volume, and expression, the words spoken remained the same as before.
Without speaking, Lu Ban opened the computer and randomly found a video of a female soprano singing a rather difficult piece. As his will shifted, the left-handed revolver's second chamber was also filled.
Lu Ban fired another shot at his own head.
He tried to speak.
A stunning soprano burst forth from his mouth.
Lu Ban gradually understood everything.
*
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