The Magic Book and the Old Seal

The moment Luo Wei thought of that annoying person, he couldn't help but feel a surge of anger.

Especially when he recalled her last words and the malicious smirk on her face as she said them, an inexplicable sense of irritation welled up in his heart.

She said she remembered me...

And she was looking forward to my next performance...

So, what exactly does she want?

To play with me? Drive me insane? Then gleefully admire her handiwork before moving on to her next amusement?

What kind of mischievous little devil is she?

Luo Wei sighed and sat down on the large bed. Reuniting with the heroines from the first playthrough was already troublesome enough, and now, to make matters worse, an even more formidable and terrifying presence had appeared...

Lately, he had been dying over and over again, sometimes entangled in love and conflict with them, other times saving the city, spinning around like a top until he had even lost weight.

Finally, his strength had recovered a bit. Although it hadn't reached the level of the first playthrough, he was at least capable of protecting himself. But just as he thought he could catch a break, the difficulty had suddenly spiked, as if the game didn't want him to rest for even a moment...

As Luo Wei silently complained, he opened the reward notifications.

When he saw all the rewards, especially the fourth one, his mood finally improved a little. He thought to himself that this broken game still had a shred of conscience.

The first reward was a bonus to any attribute point. Luo Wei hadn't decided how to allocate the 20 points yet, as some skills had prerequisite attribute requirements, so he set it aside for now.

The second reward was:

【Low-Level Skill Reward】

【Bartitsu (Mixed Martial Arts, Level: Proficient)】

【A practical and elegant self-defense technique. As a refined gentleman in a suit, how could you lack an elegant cane to smash a thug's head?】

Luo Wei couldn't help but chuckle as he read the skill description.

This ability was better than nothing, though it wasn't exactly game-changing.

With his vampire abilities, he wasn't likely to be bullied by street thugs or gangsters.

But using supernatural powers freely on the streets of Saint Callen would inevitably cause unnecessary trouble. In such cases, this seemingly elegant martial art would come in handy.

The third reward was a book with an incredibly long title, and it sounded impressive.

【Mid-Level Item Reward】

《Gould's Book of Magic: A Basic Introduction to Magic Crystals and Ring Magic》

It was actually a book on magic, seemingly covering the foundational principles of a certain type of magic. What surprised him even more was the author's name, which was renowned throughout the steam-powered city and even the entire empire.

Rudolf Gould.

He was the founding president of Callen University and a prominent scientist in the Royal Society. It was this master who first discovered how to use the magical mineral, magic crystals, and harnessed their energy to improve the steam engine, creating a revolutionary magitech industrial revolution with its incredibly efficient and seemingly endless energy source.

Luo Wei had always imagined the old president as a stereotypical scientist, given how he was portrayed in school introductions and sculptures—a bespectacled, scholarly, and kindly old man. He never expected him to be a mage.

This contrast was quite amusing. Perhaps after class, the old president would put down his teaching materials and pick up a staff to sweep through dark alleys, hunting down monstrous creatures that plagued the city, or even battle the minions of evil gods for three hundred rounds...

However, even the excitement of learning magic couldn't compare to his surprise at the final reward.

【High-Level Item Reward】

【Elder Sign】

【Has a certain deterrent effect on mythic creatures and can even expel them or evil gods under certain circumstances】

【Note: Investigators must use this with extreme caution. The Elder Sign does not truly harm evil gods. They simply dislike it. To them, it might be as repulsive as a piece of excrement (laughs).】

Reading the last part of the description, Luo Wei couldn't help but laugh. Do evil gods really despise something so strongly? The comparison to "excrement" was absurdly abstract.

But regardless, the fact that it could annoy evil gods made him genuinely happy. Luo Wei eagerly exchanged for this... thing—no, this【Elder Sign】.

Soon, a small stone with a twisted pentagram mark appeared in his hand. In the center of the stone was a pattern that resembled both an eye and a flame.

The【Elder Sign】wasn't large or heavy, and holding it, he couldn't sense any mystical power—nor did it have any foul odor. To Luo Wei, it certainly didn't resemble anything as disgusting as excrement.

The game's description wouldn't lie. If this thing could truly deter evil gods, then for Luo Wei, it was like a protective talisman. He carefully tucked it into his pocket, planning to keep it close at all times.

It seemed that all the blood and effort he had poured into protecting this city hadn't been in vain. High risk meant high reward, and looking at these generous rewards, Luo Wei's mood improved significantly.

"What are you grinning about? You look so happy."

Just as he was deep in thought, Ophelia, who had just finished her bath, walked over.

Luo Wei looked at her. She was drying her damp hair as she sat down on a chair, steam still rising from her body.

Her face was flushed from the bath, and as she sat there looking at him, her usually cold and beautiful features carried a charming and alluring beauty, her eyes smiling.

"I am happy. I found something valuable," Luo Wei replied without hiding much, since these items would come in handy later. He walked over with a smile.

Standing behind Ophelia, he naturally took the towel from her hand and began gently drying her hair.

Ophelia closed her eyes, enjoying Luo Wei's ministrations, and asked, "What did you find? Tell me so I can be happy too."

"I'll tell you later," Luo Wei said.

Ophelia opened her eyes, turned around, and snatched the towel back, pouting.

"You never tell me anything! You keep everything from me!"

She pursed her lips, seemingly angry, and started drying her hair herself.

"What do you mean I never tell you anything?" Luo Wei blinked innocently.

"You know what I mean!" Ophelia turned to him and poked his chest with her finger. "You've been asleep for two days, and now that you're finally awake, don't you have anything to tell me?"

"Something to tell you..." Luo Wei frowned, thinking for a moment, then looked at her seriously.

"Yes, I do."

Ophelia's face lit up with anticipation.

Luo Wei smiled and said, "Your bed is quite comfortable. Oh, and Susan's breakfast is delicious, though it's a bit too sweet. Next time, tell her to use less sugar."

"Luo Wei!!"

Ophelia glared at him, her face red with anger. "You know what I'm asking! Don't think you can fool me like your silly sister!"

"Ah..."

Luo Wei gave a helpless smile. There was no way to deceive Ophelia under her watchful gaze.

She knew him too well.

Luo Wei also knew Ophelia well and understood what she wanted to ask. Her serious demeanor meant she was curious about what had happened before they both passed out on the rooftop.

Whatever had caused him to nearly lose control and go mad was undoubtedly unusual. Having been contained before, she knew how strong his will (or sanity) was, so something extraordinary must have occurred.

After a moment of hesitation, he slowly began,

"I saw the mastermind, or rather, the true mastermind..."