Chapter Thirty-Six: Immortality?

If any player found out that Zhao Xu was being granted the privilege of the Wish spell, they would surely rise up in protest. They wouldn’t care in the slightest about what qualifications had earned him such treatment. In truth, the TC Corporation had no power over Arthur whatsoever. This had long been common knowledge in later years—even the origins of test accounts were so murky that even the executives couldn’t explain them.

At present, Arthur still maintained a direct balance among players; there had yet to be a case of any player receiving anything so unbalanced as to disrupt the game. This was mainly because the high-ranking figures of Arthur simply didn’t think much of the players. Moreover, Arthur’s magical items could all be mass-produced; as for the sole exception, the artifacts, not even the most powerful had any surplus lying about at home. Even a decade after in a previous life, not a single Earth player had ever acquired an artifact. Magic was formidable, but within its own rules, it would reason with you. If something could be pierced, it could be pierced; if something granted immunity, then it truly was immune. Only artifacts played by their own rules.

Upon hearing Antinoya’s proposal, Zhao Xu’s first instinct was to ask if he could just take the equivalent of 25,000 gold pieces in cash. With that sum, he could easily set up shop in Arthur and start a business. There had been players who made their living this way in his previous life, but most were hampered by a lack of starting capital—players were almost universally poor. With 25,000 gold, one could nearly buy a Headband of Vast Intelligence +6, which cost 36,000 gold. With just half that, you could get a Headband of Intelligence +4, which was only 16,000 gold—more than enough, with enough left over to purchase two more +2 attribute items.

But Antinoya was offering him just +1 Intelligence. Compared to +4 or +6, the difference was stark. Yet the calculation wasn’t so simple. Items of the same name didn’t stack. If Zhao Xu later wore a +6 Headband of Intelligence, even if he found a +6 Intelligence Amulet, they wouldn’t stack—the highest enhancement would apply. But the “+1” to Intelligence granted by the Wish spell could stack because it was an inherent bonus.

To gain an inherent bonus, one either needed the appropriate magical tomes, such as the Manual of Clear Thought, or the Wish spell itself. The only price: immortality?

Ninth-level spells in Arthur were so legendary that even players who had never encountered them would boast about them, making it impossible to keep them secret. However, Zhao Xu had never even heard of the ninth-level spell “Timeless Existence.” This suggested it was a closely guarded secret, not something you could simply copy from a book. If he passed up this chance, he would likely just succumb to old age in his seventies or eighties. Antinoya was unlikely to give him another opportunity—if she were that generous, she could simply grant all six attributes their maximum with thirty-six ninth-level Wishes.

Immortality.

Once everyone had crossed over, this was something that had become tangibly real. Even the long-lived elves were expected to meet their gods after eight hundred years. After the crossing, Zhao Xu could spend his days hiding in the floating city, officially researching spells, and quite possibly remain there until the city itself was destroyed.

Lowering his head, Zhao Xu weighed the gains and losses. Immortality. One point of Intelligence. What would be an easy decision for most left Zhao Xu mired in deep uncertainty. Gradually, under Antinoya’s amused gaze, his eyes grew bright.

A life spent as a coward would always be a coward’s life. He would rather burn bright for a moment.

“I choose the second option,” Zhao Xu said.

Just as he was about to finish his grand statement, he hesitated, looking awkward as he asked, “Mentor, if I later read a Manual of Clear Thought or receive another Wish, can the effects be combined?”

Antinoya understood what he was getting at, but she wouldn’t offer the explanation unless he asked. This was an essential detail Zhao Xu needed to clarify.

“They don’t stack,” Antinoya answered bluntly.

Hearing this, Zhao Xu’s heart sank. Unless he was content for the rest of his life with just one point of inherent Intelligence bonus, he’d have to start over if he wanted to increase it in the future. Would that one point he exchanged for immortality be wasted? Even platinum wasn’t as precious as this point of Intelligence.

“To increase inherent bonuses, you need to cast a series of five Wish spells in succession—otherwise, the streets would be filled with adventurers boasting thirty-six points of inherent bonuses,” Antinoya added with a hint of exasperation.

Zhao Xu’s hard-won resolve faltered. But there was no turning back now. He looked at Antinoya. “The second path.”

Antinoya raised an eyebrow and said, “Learning ‘Timeless Existence’ is easy, but the number of people who can receive it is limited. Each case requires permission and approval. If you miss this opportunity, you may never get another—otherwise, you wouldn’t have seen old Mokar in such a decrepit state today. If he truly coveted the Intelligence bonus from aging, he could have accepted the spell after enjoying its benefits, but he simply wasn’t eligible. Are you certain you have no regrets?”

Zhao Xu shook his head.

“Better to cry out and die than to live in silence.”

He spoke the phrase in his native tongue.

He knew most wizards had countless permanent spells, and “Tongues” was almost always among them. This allowed them to understand other creatures’ languages and communicate. Antinoya would have heard a straightforward translation, but the meaning was clear enough.

To live with passion, or die with dignity.

Though, for Zhao Xu, his real intention was simply to become stronger and protect his family. As for any great achievements, he would think on them later. If he ever became powerful enough, he would never venture out without equipping every possible protective, triggered, resurrection, teleportation, and immunity spell.

But he needed Antinoya to understand that he was not content to be mediocre—he had a strong desire to climb higher. Whatever world-shaking feats or abilities she could grant him, he wanted them all.

“Then do your best,” Antinoya replied indifferently.

Zhao Xu felt a moment of embarrassment at her words. Why wasn’t this one of those scenes where she was so impressed by his ambition that she granted him both options?

He almost slapped his thigh in frustration, cursing himself for a fool. He hadn’t misread the situation—he’d misread the person.

Antinoya, a legendary wizard, might not have invested many skill points in Sense Motive, but that didn’t stop her from using magic to raise her skill to extraordinary heights, easily seeing through his real intentions.

It seemed that from now on, he would have to be honest in dealings with Arthur’s powerful spellcasters—there was no point in trying to outsmart them.

Just as Zhao Xu resolved to drop the act, he saw Antinoya raise her hand and point directly at him.

No incantation, no gestures.

Just as before, a flash of spiritual light passed over him.

The world remained calm and unchanged.

But Zhao Xu saw the stats on his character sheet.

[Intelligence: 17 (+3) = 16 (base) +1 (inherent)]

He truly had gained one point of Intelligence.

“And by the way, the bit about the immortality quota and approval was a lie. Once you reach level seventeen, I’ll teach you the spell, and you can cast it on whomever you wish.”

Damn it, who says female wizards can’t lie?