Chapter 35: The First Synthesis and the Secret of the System

“Xiao Da, did you get the fish?”

Zhai Da held up a fish wrapped in a milky-white plastic bag, faint traces of blood visible through it.

“Got it.”

“Why did it take so long? Did you go to the internet café?”

“This fish is tough to kill, it’s very lively.”

Today was Sunday, Zhai Da’s only day off, and also the day Lu Wei came over for a meal.

Last night, the “Old Man” and the “Young Girl” had combined their efforts in study, achieving remarkably high efficiency, unknowingly studying past one in the morning.

This morning, as soon as he woke up, Ms. Yu sent him out to buy fish.

The market wasn’t far, just one intersection away, but as he entered the old, worn market, he suddenly thought he might try to find some “special items.” So he wandered around three times, which delayed him a bit.

Unexpectedly, he really found something.

That find was currently wrapped in a black plastic bag and hidden in his pocket.

Zhai Da entered the kitchen and handed the fish to Yu Xiaoli. “Bass, I picked the biggest one.”

Yu Xiaoli nodded, reaching to take it, when suddenly the fish, which should have been dead as it had drunk the Meng Po soup, suddenly twitched fiercely, the force so strong that the plastic bag tore with a ripping sound.

“Ah!”

“Whoa!!”

Startled, Zhai Da flung the fish away.

Brother, are you serious? I was just joking!

I watched the vendor gut it myself! The fish really scared me to death!

Yu Xiaoli immediately crouched down, raised the knife, and sliced through the bag with one chop. The resurrected bass’s threat was fully neutralized and it began counting down again.

Yu Xiaoli said, still shaken, “That scared me to death!”

Zhai Da watched his mother crouching and hacking away, thinking she was pretty scary herself.

After all, she was only ten centimeters from his toes.

“Alright, let’s go out. Don’t cause any more trouble. Xiao Lu should arrive by noon; wait for him at the community gate.”

Zhai Da nodded and returned to his room.

After closing the door, he took out the black plastic bag from his pocket.

It was somewhat dirty, so he had wrapped it very tightly, layer by layer. Inside was an iron lump.

“Congratulations, host, you have discovered a white special item [Tin-core Scale Weight]: Old Wang used it to earn three apartments in the county town...”

“Status: Owned, Activated.”

“Equipment Effect: While holding this item, the probability of lies or minor tricks being uncovered is reduced.”

“Note: The scale weight cannot weigh the human heart, but cast iron can conceal black hearts.”

Zhai Da weighed the scale weight in his hand; the black cast iron shell was rusted and heavy. An ordinary person might not notice the difference, but he later tested it on the market’s fair scale. It showed one kilogram, but the actual weight was only 700 grams...

According to the system, the core was made of “tin.”

When Zhai Da requested to buy the scale weight, the vegetable vendor was cautious and debated for nearly half an hour.

However, since the market had switched to electronic scales, the weight hadn’t been used for over a year. Zhai Da said he liked collecting old items, and eventually bought it for 50 yuan.

He silently blocked the vendor’s stall.

If he hadn’t learned during the conversation that the market’s fairness officer was the vendor’s uncle, he might have reported him.

But compared to this seemingly useless [equipment], another matter was far more important to Zhai Da.

Because the number of equipment he had was small, he tried combining all existing items on his way back and surprisingly received a success prompt.

But since it was his first synthesis, he was cautious and didn’t confirm it on the street. Instead, he waited until now.

In his room, Zhai Da double-checked that the door was locked and drew the curtains.

Closing his eyes, he opened the system interface.

The content was very simple: besides viewing past messages, there was only an [Equipment List].

But when he focused, he could open a “Synthesis Interface.”

“Please drag the equipment you wish to synthesize into the interface.”

Pale blue text appeared on the screen.

Zhai Da repeated the recipe he had tested earlier.

[Tin-core Scale Weight] and... [Clown Love Letter].

“Detecting synthesis path... Path exists. Confirm synthesis?”

The straightforward text and message.

He had always wondered how “equipment synthesis” would manifest.

Each piece of equipment was a real object in reality, not just a game icon or data string. How could two items become one? How could the system affect reality?

Because it was unknown, Zhai Da hadn’t dared to confirm earlier.

Looking around, he confirmed his room was absolutely private, then took a deep breath and clicked confirm.

“Preparing synthesis... Please place all materials in an unobserved real space...”

Zhai Da paused... Unobserved? Does that mean no one is watching?

No one else was in the room... and no cameras either.

But after a dozen seconds, the system kept repeating the same message. Only then did Zhai Da realize...

Could it be that he himself was the observer?

He vaguely recalled some scientific concepts from his previous life... or rather, sci-fi concepts. But he was just a lucky copywriter and had only heard fragmented bits.

Amid countless short videos featuring pretty girls.

So Zhai Da thought for a moment, then placed the [Clown Love Letter] folded like a talisman and the [Tin-core Scale Weight] on the table.

Then he left his room.

The moment the door closed, the system showed new messages.

“Environment detected as suitable... Beginning synthesis. Do not disrupt the environment or observe unauthorized...”

“Shielding fluctuations, collapsing reality... Cleaning traces...”

“Synthesis complete.”

The entire process was extremely fast—only one or two seconds. It felt less like the time it took to synthesize and more like the time he spent reading the text...

Collapse... it really reminded him of some things he’d heard before, but he couldn’t quite put it into words.

This system was different from the “ethereal” and “purely idealistic” concept he had imagined... it had a bit of a technological flavor?

Zhai Da couldn’t describe it.

Quantum technology altering reality?

No sound, no special effects, no dazzling light... the first synthesis ended so plainly.

With confusion, Zhai Da opened the door.

Everything seemed unchanged...

Except on the table lay a set of... special playing cards...

Zhai Da stood several meters away, staring at the new equipment... A zigzag line extended from it, pointing to a text box only visible to him.

That line... was green.

Zhai Da’s eyes widened... Doesn’t that mean...

“Congratulations, host. Synthesis of green equipment [Clown Playing Cards] successful: made of tin alloy, tough and flexible.”

“Ownership: Owned, partially activated.”

“Equipment Effect 1: Slightly increases sense of humor while held.”

“Equipment Effect 2: Makes lies, magic, tricks, and sweet talk harder to detect.”

“Special Effect → Spotlight (locked): Clowns always command strong presence, attracting attention to aid your subtle moves.”

“Advanced equipment requires unlocking tasks to gain full effects.”

“Unlock Task: Perform ten close-up magic tricks without being exposed.”

“Note: Agile fingers maximize its effect.”

Zhai Da picked up the clown cards; they felt heavy...

More precisely... about 700 grams...

Far heavier than a normal deck of cards should be.

This was Zhai Da’s first equipment synthesis. Both the process and the result surprised him...

He had been curious what a paper love letter and an iron lump would become... and it turned into metal playing cards?

And the system even had follow-up content.

“Detected host’s first equipment synthesis. Location tracking unlocked.”

“The host can now view equipment locations in the [Equipment List].”

Zhai Da was stunned. Opening the list, he saw a distance displayed after each item.

For example, [Clown Playing Cards] showed zero distance because they were in his hand.

[Sturdy Permanent 28 Large Lever] showed 21 meters, located in the parking shed downstairs.

If he “clicked” mentally, a map-like interface appeared, showing precise locations.

Zhai Da nodded quietly. This feature was quite practical; at least he wouldn’t lose things anymore.