Last night, Ash had accumulated enough resources for a card draw after "redistributing wealth" at the Sheerin estate. But amidst the chaos of procuring gear, investigating Observation Point 53, and maintaining constant readiness for a swift escape—even during bathroom breaks—he had no time to indulge.
Now, however, there was no reason to delay. After all, he wasn't safe anymore. What better time to gamble?
Ash logged into the game interface, collected his daily sign-in rewards, and accessed the "Resource Procurement" tab. He had accumulated 232 points, enough to purchase the "Bag of Source Crystals" for 198 points.
Purchase successful! You received 40 Source Crystals!
First Purchase Bonus activated! You received an additional 40 Source Crystals!
Adding his existing stash of 15 crystals, Ash now had 95 Source Crystals, enough for a 31-pull session!
When he opened the "Operator Recruitment" menu, the interface had changed.
"Dance of Sword and Dragon" Limited Event
Increased Drop Rates for Limited Operators: "Black-White Witch," "Enthralling Maiden."
Featured Costumes: "Bride of the Blade," "Bloodsea Return: Sword Dancer," "Apocalyptic Afternoon: Observer," "Swimsuit Observer."
Event Duration: Ends May 15, 00:00.
The description was enough to leave Ash momentarily speechless. His company's greed was infamous, but this? Launching a limited event just because projected revenue fell short? And they hadn't even bothered to delete the internal notes meant for the higher-ups.
Limited events like this meant that featured operators and costumes were only available during the event. Once it ended, they would be unobtainable unless re-released in future events. For collectors, this was a nightmare, driving them to spend recklessly. Even frugal players often caved under pressure.
Normally, limited events coincided with major celebrations like anniversaries or holidays, times when players were more inclined to spend. To launch one barely a month after the game's release screamed desperation.
Ash couldn't help but roll his eyes. Greedy beyond belief.
Worse still, the event details were barebones—no images, no stats, not even a preview of the much-touted "Bride of the Blade" costume. It was just text, screaming, "Spend your crystals!"
Despite his grumbling, Ash decided to go all-in. His goal wasn't the costumes—it was new operators.
But first, there was a ritual to perform.
He washed his hands and then crawled over to Igula.
"Rock-paper-scissors," he demanded.
Igula, mid-thought, stared at Ash in disbelief. His expression shifted from confusion to irritation to reluctant resignation. Begrudgingly, he played along, quickly besting Ash in a two-out-of-three match.
"Now leave me alone," Igula grumbled, shooing Ash away.
Back in his corner, Ash initiated the draw.
"Confirm: Spend 93 Source Crystals for 31 pulls?"
"Confirm!"
The results flashed before him.
18 White Lights: Potions, basic training materials, and low-tier combat cards—mostly junk for refining later.
9 Purple Lights: Included useful items like
3x Spirit Elixirs,
3x Pure Soul Drinks,
1x Mid-Tier Trial Card,
1x Aurora Autodrive Car (Luxury Edition),
1x Training Gloves.
4 Golden Lights:
"Black-White Witch" Operator!
"Swimsuit Observer" Costume!
"Apocalyptic Afternoon: Observer" Costume!
"Twenty-Sided Die of the Prince of Pleasure!"
Ash's head hit the padded wall with a loud thud.
Harvey, observing from the corner, nodded sagely and followed suit, smacking his head against the wall.
"This… this actually helps," Harvey muttered. "It keeps me awake."
Watching the spectacle, Igula felt his sanity slipping. The physical exhaustion was bearable, but being stuck with these two "geniuses" was a far worse torment.
After venting his frustration on the wall, Ash returned to the game interface. Sometimes, irrational self-punishment felt like a way to fight back against life's relentless unfairness.
But as Ash stared at "Swimsuit Observer," he felt the urge to bang his head again.
Seriously?! All the costumes for Observer, none for Sword Dancer?!
If I wanted Observer costumes, I could buy them outright—or make my own, for that matter. Heck, I can see Observer's bath scene for free every day! Who asked for this?!
"This is rigged," he fumed. "They've nerfed the drop rates for 'Bride of the Blade' to force spending. Greedy beyond reason."
Having exhausted his rant, Ash reviewed his rewards:
Training Gloves: Boosts training XP gain for fist/weapon skills by 15%.
Mid-Tier Trial Card: Grants significant XP and bond increase, usable once per week per operator.
Aurora Autodrive Car (Luxury Edition): A vehicle for traversing Time Continent. Currently lacks additional features or accessories.
Pure Soul Drink: Accelerates soul recovery and boosts sorcery absorption by 5% for seven days.
The Pure Soul Drink was particularly promising. It could potentially cut their recovery time from two weeks to just a few days. However, the ominous flavor text—hinting at morally dubious origins—made him uneasy. Not that it mattered now.
The autodrive car was another highlight. While it lacked enhancements, it would save them from relying on foot travel, giving them a critical edge in potential escapes.
Finally, there was the star of the draw: the "Black-White Witch."
"Time to check out this new operator," Ash murmured.