novelraw Chapter 239-1: A Contest with the Librarian (1)
Chapter 239-1: A Contest with the Librarian (1)
[Do you agree to trade with the Librarian?]
Lin Xun let out a cold laugh and pressed ‘No’ without hesitation.
What a joke. The highest reward was what he deserved for passing the trial, why should he have to trade anything else for it?
It was like competing in a tournament: after winning first place, the organizers refused to hand over the prize unless you paid an extra fee.
And their reason for withholding the prize was that the contestant had gained additional skill improvements during the competition. Utterly absurd!
[The Librarian sees your decisive refusal, and his face gradually darkens.]
[He puts away the bookmark radiating five-colored light, then produces an unremarkable one, declaring bluntly that since you won’t surrender the extra gains you reaped in the illusion, your trial reward will be limited to this.]
[In his hand is an ordinary Invasion Bookmark. Such a reward was obviously inconsistent with the trial’s difficulty.]
[Do you want to accept this reward?]
“Trying to threaten me with the reward, are you?”Lin Xun understood, to make the Librarian hand over the proper prize, he had to seize the initiative.
Otherwise, how could a contestant wrestle with the organizer on equal terms?
Without leverage, even if one suffered blatant unfairness, they’d have to swallow the insult and endure.
He had to transform from a mere contestant into someone whom even the organizer had to treat with courtesy. Only then could he take what he was due.
In this hellish game, what carried more weight than displaying strength?
His gaze turned steely. He was just about to issue the attack command to the Valkyrie.
Given the Librarian’s demonstrated power, he certainly wouldn’t be killed in a single blow.
But showing sufficient strength would make it clear that Lin Xun was no pushover, nor someone who could be manipulated at will.
Just as he was about to give the attack order, Lin Xun suddenly thought of something and stopped.
He didn’t click ‘Attack’ but instead, in response to [Do you want to accept this reward?] he pressed ‘Yes.’
[Under the Librarian’s incredulous stare, you take the Invasion Bookmark as your trial reward.]
[You have obtained Invasion Bookmark (Item)!]
[You give the Librarian a long, penetrating look, then turn and walk out of the Lecture Hall…]
[The Librarian opens his mouth wide in astonishment, clearly shocked. He seems about to call after you, but you stride away without turning your head.]
[Where will you go now?]
[You do not continue deeper into the temple but instead head back toward the Five-Story Treasure Pagoda.]
[You walk briskly forward, enter the pagoda’s ground floor, and proceed straight up to the fifth floor…]
[…]
[The fifth floor of the pagoda is empty of books. Only a single Resting Page floats in midair, emitting a soft glow.]
[You step forward to touch the Resting Page, and the powerful wandering soul within you resonates with it…]
[Which function of the Resting Page will you use?]
[1. Set Respawn Point: …]
[2. Rest and Recuperate: …]
[3. Teleport: …]
[4. Oath: …]
[5. …]
Lin Xun selected the third option, ‘Teleport.’
[Please choose your destination.]
[1. Unmanned Port of Fukoka Castle]
[2. Guesthouse of Dragon Marsh Temple]
[3. Library]
Just as Lin Xun was about to press the third option, new text appeared in the game interface.
[Rapid footsteps thudded across the wooden stairs behind you, soon the Librarian emerged, panting, at your back.]
[He saw you touching the Resting Page, clearly preparing to teleport. Thinking of how you’d just accepted a low-grade reward that was obviously undeserved, he grew visibly anxious.]
[He hurried over and asked where you intended to go.]
[You lifted your eyelids and replied coldly. “No comment.”]
[Saying this, you prepared to activate the teleportation function. The Librarian hastily stepped in front of you, his manner completely changed, and asked in a cautious voice whether you planned to return to the library.]
[You let out a cold laugh and declared bluntly that you not only intended to return to the library but also to deliver the trial’s highest reward, the Invasion Bookmark, to his true body.]
The reason the Librarian had been so determined to erase Lin Xun’s extra gains was simple, letting an Apostle reap unauthorized benefits during a trial was a dereliction of duty.
This projection had tried every possible threat to make Lin Xun surrender those gains, which proved that for the projection, the punishment for failure was probably unbearable.
The severity of that penalty made the Librarian’s projection so fearful that he had resorted to every means to conceal Lin Xun’s extra profit and avoid being held accountable.
Lin Xun didn’t know exactly who monitored whether these projections did their jobs, but from clues scattered around the Apostle Forum, it was likely the Librarian’s true body inside the library.
Besides, the only entity an Apostle could contact at any time was that true Librarian.
Allowing the Apostle to earn unauthorized profit was already dereliction. Giving an undeserved reward on top of that was dereliction compounded. Together, the offense might even rise to outright misconduct.
Now that Lin Xun possessed the Invasion Bookmark as evidence, exposing this projection’s misconduct would surely cost it dearly, if not destroy it outright.
“So you’re the only one allowed to make threats? Let me show you what it means to repay someone in their own coin.”
[The Librarian’s complexion shifted from pale to livid again and again. At last, after a long, reluctant sigh, he muttered, “Apostle, you’ve won…”]
[He took out the gleaming, prismatic Easter Egg Bookmark and, without another word, pressed it into your hand.]
[You have obtained Easter Egg Bookmark (Item)!]
[He extended his hand, indicating that you should return the Invasion Bookmark you’d just received.]
[Do you want to give back the Invasion Bookmark?]
“Letting you off so easily, how could that ever repay the arrogance you showed me just now?”
Lin Xun pressed ‘No’ without hesitation.
[You slowly shook your head, indicating that a single Easter Egg Bookmark was not enough.]
[The Librarian’s face turned ashen. He clenched his teeth and spat through them, “Apostle, don’t push your luck!”]
“With that attitude, when you’re the one who needs something from me?”
“If I don’t peel a layer off you today, how am I supposed to keep my reputation in this world?”
[You stepped forward again to touch the Resting Page…]
[The Librarian seethed with rage, wishing he could flay you alive, yet he still had no choice but to humble himself once more.]
[A fawning smile crept over his weathered face. After hesitating for a long while, he gritted his teeth and pulled out another bookmark.]
[The Librarian had lost all trace of arrogance. Holding the bookmark in both hands, he offered it up, asking only that you return the Invasion Bookmark.]
[You have obtained Relic Bookmark (Item)!]
[Do you want to return the Invasion Bookmark?]
[You took the bookmark but again shook your head to show it still wasn’t enough.]
[The Librarian exploded with fury, cursing you in a shaking voice, finger trembling as he pointed…]
[But the moment you touched the Resting Page, his tirade was cut off.]
[Suppressing his anger, he explained that given your performance, obtaining an Easter Egg Bookmark was fair and reasonable, and receiving a Relic Bookmark on top was already an excessive reward.]
[If he gave you anything else, his true body would detect the irregularities even without your reporting him.]
[One Easter Egg Bookmark plus one Relic Bookmark was the maximum compromise and concession allowed by his authority.]
“Looks like there’s no more juice to squeeze out…”