Inside the brightly lit fast food restaurant, the air was thick with the mixed aroma of fried chicken oil and ketchup.
Xu Chaoyun dipped the last crispy French fry into the ice cream, stuffed it into his mouth with satisfaction, and let out a long sigh.
“I’m alive again. Now this is real food!”
Shi Hanfeng sat across from him, holding a cup of iced cola in his hand, the clinking of the ice against the cup making a faint sound.
He sipped slowly, the cold liquid sliding down his throat, bringing a trace of coolness.
His eyes swept over the six empty family bucket boxes piled up on the table, then at the half-eaten burger in front of him, and his stomach twinged inexplicably.
Looking at this guy, who seemed ready to lick the bottom of the bucket clean, he couldn’t help but feel a deep sympathy.
“How bad were the meals in that so-called village of yours?”
He couldn’t help but ask.
“Bad?”
Xu Chaoyun gulped down a big mouthful of iced cola, let out a loud burp, and a painful expression of traumatic memories appeared on his face.
“Don’t bring it up, Fengzi.”
“Black bread could be used as a weapon, there were always only potatoes and carrots in the stew, roasted meat tasted so bland you needed imagination to recognize it as meat, and the only flavor left was a strange gamey smell.”
“There was plenty of alcohol, but it was as sour as vinegar and made your head spin if you drank too much.”
“I finally understand why the average lifespan over there is so low. With food like that, living to forty is a blessing from the Goddess.”
As he spoke, he unconsciously patted his now slightly rounder belly, as if confirming he’d really returned to the paradise of abundant food.
Shi Hanfeng shook his head helplessly.
In comparison, his own world—dangerous as it was, but at least with hot meals, wild strawberries and beast meat dropped from monsters—was practically a vacation resort.
Of course, Xu Chaoyun’s exaggerated devouring had its perks.
At the very least, it created an invisible barrier.
Inside the fast food restaurant, several well-dressed young women couldn’t help but glance at Shi Hanfeng’s striking face, their eyes lingering on his brilliant blond hair and deep emerald eyes.
However, whenever their gaze drifted to the “savage” across from him—stuffing his face, hands greasy, still sucking his fingers, surrounded by the visually overwhelming stack of empty buckets—the spark of interest was instantly extinguished ninety-nine percent.
The last bit of hesitation disappeared completely when Xu Chaoyun let out a loud burp and slapped his belly with a satisfied flourish.
Shi Hanfeng was happy to see it.
He’d always been uncomfortable with such attention, and especially after inheriting the bishop’s look, trouble only increased.
The title of “Demon Paladin” hadn’t even cooled off yet—he didn’t want to add “Fast Food Prince” or something to his list in the real world.
“Let’s go. If I keep watching you eat, I’ll develop psychological trauma.”
Shi Hanfeng stood up and patted his friend’s shoulder.
The two walked out of the fast food restaurant, the cool evening air flowing into their lungs, sweeping away the heavy food smell from inside.
“What next?”
Xu Chaoyun stretched as he walked, bones cracking lightly.
“Go straight home and play dead? Or…do something else?”
Shi Hanfeng glanced up at the darkening sky, thinking for a moment.
“Let’s go home first and get some sleep. After that, I need to study this thing carefully.”
He shook the high-tech Personal Terminal on his wrist, looking at Xu Chaoyun.
“This device seems to have a lot of functions. I need to figure them out. Tomorrow, let’s meet at Qimingxing, exchange what we’ve found—information is power. Also, I’ll bring you a good sword.”
He didn’t lack weapons. The loot box had yielded two decent long swords. While he couldn’t use them, they’d be a huge upgrade for Xu Chaoyun, who was still using basic training weapons.
“O-K!”
Xu Chaoyun’s eyes lit up, responding with a bright shout, clearly looking forward to the weapon that would soon be his.
He habitually stuck out his elbow, lightly bumping Shi Hanfeng on the shoulder blade.
“You’re the best! See you at Qimingxing’s entrance tomorrow!”
Shi Hanfeng staggered slightly from the bump but didn’t dodge, only shooting him a speechless look.
They waved goodbye at the street corner, one heading for the subway, the other turning into a somewhat old residential area nearby.
He pushed open the familiar security door—which always needed to be lifted a bit to close properly—and the scent of his own home, mixed with old books and cleaning supplies, washed over him.
Shi Hanfeng locked the door behind him and leaned against the cold metal, letting out a long breath.
Only in the silence of being alone did his tense nerves finally relax.
Outside the window, the city’s eternal hum buzzed. Inside, a soothing quiet filled the room.
The cheap apartment wasn’t spacious, its furnishings simple, but every detail was deeply familiar.
Programming textbooks spread across the desk, a few old posters on the wall, half a bottle of mineral water on the nightstand…
These ordinary details anchored him in reality, quietly smoothing out the mental wrinkles left by bloodshed.
He took off his jacket and tossed it on the chair, but instead of collapsing onto the bed, he went straight to the desk and sat down.
Relaxation was one thing, but now wasn’t the time to rest.
His gaze returned to its usual calm focus as he methodically took stock of his gains from the trip to the other world.
With a thought, the translucent light screen of the Personal Terminal and the [Player Talent] interface—visible only to him—floated before his eyes.
Destiny Points: 16,000.
The number brought a glint of satisfaction to his eyes.
Was what he did in the previous world thrilling?
Absolutely!
The sensation of blowing up a symbol of a god with his own hands was enough to send any power-hungry person’s adrenaline soaring.
But it wasn’t just impulsive.
Firing a “Divine Fire Judgment” at that disgusting Green Moon hanging over the Goblin world was both a cathartic act against so-called divinity and, after weighing the options, the most efficient choice.
The rewards from Destiny Space weren’t random.
Compared to those infamous Infinite Spaces, it was a bit gentler—giving Destiny Apostles a relatively safe starting environment and not forcing growth later on.
But the core logic of earning points was similar.
Change a set fate, disrupt a world’s established flow.
When he saved Aili, learned she was the young Sword Saintess, and confirmed the mission world was Goblin Slayer, he’d started thinking about how to gain the most safely and efficiently without risking himself.
So what clear levers could he pull in this world?
The most obvious one was the Green Moon—its conspicuous presence in the sky.
The Goblin God, the source of all malice towards humanity, drew power from that ominous green light.
In the original story, it was a crucial driver of tragedy; even if all Goblins were wiped out, new ones would appear, born on the Green Moon and cast down.
Destroy it?
Shi Hanfeng didn’t have that power.
But striking it hard enough to trigger a chain reaction could disrupt and even overturn countless established storylines.
It was much more efficient—and fun—than clearing out Goblin nests one by one.
And reality proved him right.
The Newbie Task “Goblin Must Die” plus the follow-up “Game with the God” challenge had clear rewards totaling 6,000 points.
Now, the total was 16,000—meaning the extra 10,000 points came from a world-line upheaval. The “dividends” of a dramatic change, a gift from the Goblin God—likely accompanied by curses.
“Now that I have startup funds, it’s time to think about how to spend them.”
Shi Hanfeng muttered, tapping his finger in the air to close the Destiny Space exchange screen.
Most of the items and skills listed were from the Goblin Slayer world—limited spell slots, effects restricted by divine faith, not particularly attractive to him.
He focused his will.
The [Game Shop]—the interface he truly longed for—had finally unlocked after completing the first task.
It was surprisingly simple—almost sparse.
Only five exchangeable item icons, a pitiful number compared to the endless list in Destiny Space.
But as Shi Hanfeng’s gaze swept over them, his breath caught.
If Destiny Space was a messy, affordable marketplace, the Game Shop was a boutique—offering only what he needed most.
What drew him in the most, though, were the first three items—all bearing a bright red, tantalizing tag in the upper-left corner.
[-50% OFF ]
The moment he saw it, he knew his Destiny Points wouldn’t last.
This familiar promotion strategy crossed worlds and realms, striking directly at the weak spot of players like him.
The three discounted items were:
[Dust Song Pot: Cave Heaven Initial Version]: Original Price: 6,000 Destiny Points → Limited Time Discount: 3,000 Destiny Points
(A stable, customizable micro-world. Base form: spherical space about 300 meters in diameter, with time flowing at the same rate as the outside. Provides basic land, water, and a weak spiritual energy node. Self-contained cycle. Can be used to build, plant, and raise small creatures. (Note: Only basic space is provided; further expansion and construction require extra resources.)
[Zanpakuto: Shallow Hit]: Original Price: 4,000 Destiny Points → Limited Time Discount: 2,000 Destiny Points. Description: The beginning of Shinigami power, an unnamed Zanpakuto. Its form and abilities are determined by the soul of the wielder, making it a unique soul companion and weapon.
[Destiny Echo: Memory Crystal]: Original Price: 20,000 Destiny Points → Limited Time Discount: 10,000 Destiny Points. Description: A mysterious crystal containing specific Destiny power, said to be fragments of Fuli. For use with loaded templates; single-use consumable. When used, initiates a deep mental exchange with the template character, after which the template is fully integrated into the user’s abilities, unlocking deeper potential paths.
The two non-discounted items were:
[Blooddrinker Sword]: 6,000 points. Description: A violent creation of the Dark Ones. The blade is inscribed with blood-red runes. When it hits a target, it absorbs life force, partially healing the wielder and storing the rest as rune energy. When full, it briefly activates “Blood Surge,” boosting attack speed and strength. (Note: Frequent use may subtly induce bloodlust and mental agitation.)
[Devil Fruit (Unidentified)]: 5,000 points. Description: A cursed gift from the deep sea. Grants a supernatural ability when eaten but causes rejection by the sea and loss of swimming ability.
Refreshes once per world.
·· This is definitely G-fat’s conspiracy!”
Shi Hanfeng’s mouth twitched as he muttered.
A familiar sense of being targeted—painful yet oddly satisfying—washed over him.
His hot, newly acquired Destiny Points were instantly under threat of vanishing.
The Game Shop knew players too well.
With perfectly targeted recommendations, it pinned down Shi Hanfeng’s three biggest weaknesses.
His eyes shifted between the three discounted items, emotions churning inside.
The prices, post-discount, would drain his funds—no, he’d have a little left.
This Game Shop was definitely doing it on purpose!
The[Dust Song Pot] perfectly solved his lack of storage and urgent need for a private base.
[Zanpakuto: Shallow Hit] directly addressed his weapon shortcomings—a limitless, soul-bound weapon that could grow, far better than another disposable standard sword.
As for [Destiny Echo: Memory Crystal], it struck at his deepest concern.
Character templates were great, able to help a powerless person quickly become strong—but at what cost?
Memories not your own, skills not your own, thoughts not your own.
If you mimic someone entirely—body, power, actions—are you still “you”?
Rochet, the man with the hard-to-pronounce name, was a much more dangerous being than his counterparts, a fact evident from how his template’s fusion was broken in the Star God’s plan.
Anyone who could plot against the Star God and mess with breeding relics couldn’t possibly be harmless.
But his skills were just too useful.
Even with the risk of assimilation, Shi Hanfeng couldn’t bear to give them up.
This crystal was the best way to eliminate that potential time bomb and fully make template powers his own.
These three things were practically tailored for his current predicament—covering “survival,” “weapon evolution,” and “power foundation.”
Their total, after the discount, came to exactly his remaining 15,000 points, with 1,000 to spare.
He felt completely exposed, as if someone had predicted everything and set out a feast for him.
The system knew exactly what he needed and, at the moment he could afford them, packaged and discounted them right in front of him.
This kind of temptation was impossible to resist.
“Heh…”
Shi Hanfeng chuckled softly and shook his head, his eyes turning firm.
“Even if it feels like a setup, I’ll take the bait.”
As for [Blooddrinker Sword] and [Devil Fruit], one had clear side effects, and his own skills could replicate its effect; the other’s benefits were unknown and the negative effect—turning into a landlubber—was too much.
He dismissed both.
Mainly, he just didn’t have enough money.
“Exchange: [Dust Song Pot (Initial)], [Zanpakuto: Shallow Hit], and [Destiny Echo: Memory Crystal].”
With his confirmation, his Destiny Points dropped by 15,000, leaving a balance of 1,000.
At the same time, he sensed three new items in his inventory.
A palm-sized, jade-like pot; a simple, unspectacular long sword in a dull scabbard; and a strange crystal glowing softly, swirling with nebulae inside.
He didn’t take them out immediately.
None of the three were ordinary—especially the Destiny Echo: Memory Crystal, anything related to Fuli or the Star God was never simple.
But they were his now.
No rush.
After this vital purchase, a powerful wave of exhaustion washed over him.
The satisfaction of his gains gave way to the aftermath of mental tension.
He washed up quickly, then collapsed onto his not-so-soft but familiar single bed, every cell in his body screaming for rest.
Closing his eyes, images of bloody battles in another world, the greatsword of the Goblin Paladin, Aili’s stubborn and determined gaze, and the flames that scorched the night sky flashed through his mind.
They gradually blurred, fading into darkness.
Just before he drifted into sleep, a final thought crossed his mind.
“Tomorrow…see Yunzi, give him the sword. Then visit my new home inside the Dust Song Pot. Meet my new partners. And explore my future path.”
The city’s glow slipped through the curtain’s gap, casting a gentle patch of light on his peaceful sleeping face.
This time, the curve at his lips seemed to carry a faint hint of satisfaction.