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The square of Northwind Fortress was already bustling with excitement.

“Best red wine in Northwind Fortress!”

“Frost wolf fur coat, a luxury item for the nobility of the North!”

“Lackman Steel Greatsword, once the favorite weapon of the rulers of Northwind Fortress! Now on sale for only 180 gold coins!”

“Looking for teammates to play after the official launch, no wild sorcerers allowed! No wild sorcerers!”

“Guild recruiting! Magic Coin, the paradise for all spellcaster enthusiasts!”

Players gathered as if celebrating a holiday, their cheers echoing in the air. They wore flamboyant costumes, and some even paraded around without clothes, creating a raucous scene, taking on some rather indecent poses.

Even the local residents, long accustomed to the chaos of the Starfallen, closed their doors and windows tightly, worried their children might be led astray by these lunatics.

Yet, there were also many townsfolk who saw a business opportunity and set up stalls in the square, hoping to make a good profit off these excited people.

Mantou was perched atop a wyvern, looking down at the singing and dancing players, feeling a mixture of emotions.

“Ah, the closed beta is finally coming to an end, I can’t help but feel a bit sentimental.”

“What are you getting all emotional about? You’ll be back in a month, won’t you?”

Singo took a swig of his drink, grumbling.

Mantou retorted, “What do you know, I’m not talking about me, I’m talking about Noodl. I’ll be back in a month, sure, but in this ‘Erezaghe’ world, four years will have passed.”

He stroked the long neck of his wyvern and muttered:

“Noodl, Noodl, during these four years, you have to wait for me obediently. Don’t go off and find another rider. In my hometown, such shameful behavior is called ‘bull-headed’, and it’s considered a serious crime...”

“Rawr—”

The wyvern let out a cheerful howl, clearly not understanding what he was saying.

Singo almost spat out his drink when he heard Mantou’s words, especially when he saw his serious expression.

Mantou then noticed the elaborately packaged cocktail in Singo’s hand, his eyes widening in disbelief.

“What the heck, are you crazy? Have you been possessed or something?”

“What are you fussing about?”

Singo gave him an indifferent glance, taking another sip.

Mantou began rattling off details:

“This is the infamous ‘Fire Witch’s Kiss’ from the Sleeping Mermaid Tavern, the priciest drink around. Just one bottle costs twenty gold coins, and it’s said to give the sensation of a passionate encounter with a succubus, yet offers no real boost.”

“Someone like you, who only cares about gaining strength and nothing else, actually buying something purely for enjoyment?”

He unsheathed his sword and pointed it at Singo, declaring righteously:

“Speak! Who are you really? Where is the real Singo?!”

Singo sneered and replied, “Don’t be ridiculous. This is a special gift from Alger to commend my contribution in the Crimson Scaled Conquerors.”

“How about it? Want a sip?”

Mantou’s eyes immediately lit up, his expression turning fawning.

“Singo—no, Big Brother Singo, just one sip.”

“Alright, look at you, so hopeless. Let me gather Battle Maniac and Autumn Rain, and we’ll head to the tavern to drink until the server closes.”

“Alright, alright, if you don’t give me some, watch out or I’ll report you for drinking and flying!”

The two landed and dismounted skillfully.

“Yo, you guys are here.”

Summer Night Autumn Rain and Born Battle Maniac had been waiting for some time, and surprisingly, even Langli Baitiao, with his bruised face, was there.

Mantou was puzzled: “Brother Langi, you usually know what’s up. Where did the Machine God Church people go? I haven’t seen any of them.”

He didn’t bother asking about Langi’s injuries. After all, it was nothing new for him to get beaten up.

Langi’s face, which was visibly healing quickly—a testament to his vampire resilience—wore a mischievous grin.

“You mean Iron Frenzy and those guys—”

“Heh, they’re busy handling the handover. The Machine God Church’s food processing plants, military manufacturing facilities, and a series of other projects have attracted significant attention from the kingdom’s upper ranks. Since last month, they’ve been busy training the locals and handling various transitions. No one’s allowed to leave until the work is done.”

“They’re probably working overtime, explaining how to operate the machinery to the locals.”

“They’re relentless.”

Mantou broke out in cold sweat.

A month of high-intensity work—he couldn’t even imagine it. It seemed that the Machine God Church fanatics were the true workhorses destined for such labor.

“And Iron Frenzy got caught embezzling funds to make a personal suit of armor. Now he’s buried in debt. If he doesn’t work hard, his position as guild leader is at risk.”

Summer Night Autumn Rain added mercilessly.

Mantou sighed, thinking:

“That’s probably the price of showing off.”

But remembering Iron Frenzy’s manic laughter while piloting the armor, it all seemed well-deserved.

“Look over there, what kind of event is that? Why are there so many people?”

Born Battle Maniac, looking at the crowd in the distance, rubbed his bald head, his curiosity piqued.

“No idea, maybe it’s some kind of shutdown perk?”

“Let’s go check it out.”

Mantou and the others were intrigued and rose to see for themselves.

With his towering stature, Born Battle Maniac muscled his way through the crowd until they finally saw what lay at the center: several beautiful serpent women standing by hundreds of ornate metal chests.

“Lord Cassius, in gratitude for your great contributions to the kingdom, has taken precious treasures from his hoard to generously reward you brave heroes.”

“Know that Lord Cassius’s favor is not easily earned, and it’s first come, first served!”

“We only ask for... a small, insignificant amount of gold in return.”

The serpent woman’s enchanting voice made people’s heads spin, but what really excited them were the metal chests behind her.

Panels appeared above the chests.

Special Item: 【Cassius’s Secret Treasure】

Probability of acquiring magic items of rarity ranging from 【Common】 to 【Rare】.

(Note: Each chest is priced at 5 gold coins.)

“Holy crap, isn’t this just a gacha?”

“Is there a guaranteed pity pull?”

“Today, I’m gonna show you all what it means to be a luck king!”

“I can’t hold back, it’s time to go all in on a ten-pull!”

Initially drawn by the beauty of the serpent women, the players were further whipped into a frenzy upon seeing the information on the chests.

Some players, who had spent ages in gacha games, felt their hands tremble, struggling to resist their compulsive urge to try their luck.

This lottery-style gameplay was the epitome of vice. Various gaming companies had made a fortune off of it, and countless players had fallen victim, yet the trend endured, with players constantly diving in headfirst.

Whether the players lost or gained, the house always won.

This was, of course, Cassius’s carefully planned scheme for the players. The closed beta players still had too much money. If things continued like this, how would they be motivated to work hard when the official game launched?

This was one last harvest before the servers shut down, a final reaping of the players’ wallets.

A piece of 【Rare】 magic equipment could easily cost over a hundred gold coins, affordable only to large guilds or professional players.

But a “Secret Treasure” box for just five gold coins was a different story. Any player with modest savings could afford one, and those willing to sell everything could even buy several.

With just that, there was a chance to obtain equipment coveted by large guilds. For some of the more gambling-prone players, it seemed like a deal too good to pass up!

What if...

What if they were the lucky one?

This was the thought running through the minds of countless onlookers.

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