Novel Lived
Chapter 7 - Isn't This Cheating?
Chapter 7: Isn’t This Cheating?
Compared to the heated discussions on the World Channel, Su Mu’s focus was entirely on the treasure chest in front of him. The bright red box had an almost festive appearance, and given that the world announcement had described it as a special treasure chest, he was eager to see its contents.
Before opening it, Su Mu briefly considered his options. He still had a chance to refresh extra attributes today, and whatever was inside the chest might benefit from it.
With that thought, he opened the chest. A short line of text appeared before him:
[Energy Stone x100]
[Level 1 Corrupted Wasteland Map]
[Level 1 Masonry Blueprint]
Energy stones! Su Mu’s eyes lit up at the sight of them. The system had emphasized their importance for upgrading weapons, shelters, and other critical equipment. Yet, despite defeating a leader-level Skeleton Dog with a single arrow, he hadn’t seen any energy stones drop.
But now, the special treasure chest had granted him one hundred of them at once. It truly lived up to its name as the first-kill treasure chest.
While the energy stones were a significant reward, Su Mu was even more intrigued by the other two items: the Level 1 Corrupted Wasteland Map and the Level 1 Masonry Blueprint.
“Am I in the Corrupted Wasteland right now? This area seems vast,” Su Mu muttered as a paper map materialized in front of him.
The map was fascinating. It resembled a satellite map that could be zoomed in and out. High monster-density areas were marked, revealing the general gathering points of the Skeleton Dogs. It also highlighted various mine locations and even marked Su Mu’s current position and hideout.
“This is incredibly convenient,” he remarked.
With this map, even someone unarmed could avoid monsters and find opportunities. For Su Mu, it was an invaluable tool.
But most importantly, the map provided another critical piece of information.
[Name: Level 1 Corrupted Wasteland Map]
[Quality: Rare]
[Additional Attribute: None]n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
“So the system can add extra attributes to anything, even a map,” Su Mu realized.
This discovery excited him. The map, having come from a special treasure chest, was already exceptional. What might happen if he added an attribute to it?
The third item in the chest, the Level 1 Masonry Blueprint, was equally intriguing.
“This will be useful later,” Su Mu mused. “The shelter’s protection period is limited. After three days, survivors will have to face monster attacks directly. But for now, I lack the materials to use the blueprint, so there’s no rush.”
With the Anti-Evil Crossbow, Glass Bracer, and now the map, Su Mu felt ready to venture further. He decided to use his final attribute refresh on the map.
“Let’s see what we get.”
Three light clusters appeared, and to Su Mu’s surprise, two of them were golden.
“Luck is on my side today,” he said, his excitement growing.
Starting with the least valuable green cluster, he tapped it.
[Sub-attribute: Reassembly]
[Quality: Bronze]
[Effect: The card will automatically reassemble when torn, preventing damage.]
Since the map could already be stored in his system backpack, this attribute wasn’t particularly useful. Su Mu dismissed it and moved to the first golden cluster.
[Sub-attribute: Hardened]
[Quality: Gold]
[Effect: Makes the card impervious to water and fire, turning it into a material harder than refined steel.]
While the effect was impressive, it felt unnecessary for a map. Adding Hardened to it would be akin to giving the Sharp Blade attribute to the Anti-Evil Crossbow—useful, but not appropriate.
Finally, Su Mu tapped the second golden cluster.
[Sub-attribute: Level +2]
[Quality: Gold]
[Effect: Increases the item’s level by two, regardless of its current level.]
Su Mu weighed his options carefully. “The map is currently Level 1. Upgrading it to Level 3 might significantly enhance its effects, even if it’s limited to the Corrupted Wasteland.”
He chose the Level +2 attribute.
The map didn’t change much in appearance after the upgrade, but its description was now far more detailed.
[Name: Level 3 Corrupted Wasteland Map]
[Level: Epic]
[Bonus Attribute: Level +2]
[Special Effect 1: Automatically alerts the holder to all monsters within 500 meters and marks their exact coordinates on the map.]
[Special Effect 2: Enhanced map effects that indicate the corresponding levels of monsters to prevent the holder from engaging in battles beyond their abilities.]
[Special Effect 3: Marks the special outputs of all mines and secret areas, including energy stones.]
Reading the upgraded description, Su Mu realized the map had become a truly extraordinary tool.
“This is almost unfair. With this map, surviving—and thriving—just became much easier,” he murmured, a faint smile playing on his lips.
Su Mu knew he had gained a significant advantage, one that might set him apart from other survivors.