Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic-Chapter 845 [Golden Lucky Rabbit Foot]

Chapter 845 -845 [Golden Lucky Rabbit Foot]

“To increase luck, choose the most beneficial option from countless possibilities. Yes, I think this relic should meet your requirements.”

On Thursday morning, in Old John’s Pawnshop, Old John was sitting behind the counter, sticking his head out from behind a newspaper. The page of the newspaper facing outwards was about the impending arrival of Margaret Anjou, a headline on most reputable papers today:

“You’re in luck, I really found it. However, those who play with fate will eventually be played by fate, so unless it’s absolutely necessary, young man, I don’t recommend you do this.”

The old man said lazily as he flipped through the newspaper, a kind reminder.

“Which relic did you find?”

Shard knew that Old John was right; he had experienced it many times with the Twenty-Sided Die of Destiny and the Puppeteer’s Notes.

“Or is it not a relic? A special ancient era fortune-turning ritual? Or the so-called lucky potion?”

“Detective, think carefully, if I had a lucky potion or a fortune-turning ritual, wouldn’t I have sold them to Schneider long ago? It’s a relic, Keeper of Secrets level, the Golden Lucky Rabbit Foot.”

Shard thought for a moment:

“Never heard of it.”

Old John continued to read the newspaper, lazily introducing it. In early winter, the smog situation in Tobesk was particularly severe. From the shop window, the gray streets could be seen, where most people walked with their heads down, wearing hats and covering their mouths, but inside, the auction house was warm and comfortable:

“It’s not a very famous relic, its trait is very simple:

Touch the relic to gain luck, and every choice made thereafter will lead to the optimal option. When you feel you no longer need this extra luck, pour cold water over your head to terminate the trait. The negative trait is equally simple: the more luck you borrow, the more rabbits will invade your dreams at night. Therefore, this trait is not fully controllable, as people often don’t know how valuable the best choice they make truly is.”

Shard nodded and then asked suspiciously:

“Rabbits… in dreams?”

He had only ever dreamed of cats.

“Yes, a horde of rabbits will invade your dreams, driving you crazy in your sleep. This relic affects ordinary people and Circle Sorcerers alike. As long as luck is borrowed, escaping the horde of rabbits is impossible.”

Old John nodded, continuing to read the newspaper.

“Is that all? Why is it rated at Keeper of Secrets level (Level 3)?”

Shard had had many strange dreams and didn’t think that hordes of normal rabbits could justify such a high danger rating.

“If you borrow only a little luck to make a crucial choice, it will only make the mentally fragile people who touch the rabbit leg lose their sanity for a few days and develop a temporary liking for carrots. But if greed overtakes you and you use too much luck during the effective period…”

Old John looked up from the newspaper, staring at Shard:

“You’ve probably heard that numerous evil objects are sealed in the subspace adjacent to the material world. Among them is an evil object born in the Fourth Era, an entity whose form cannot be described, even if it could be, I couldn’t tell you. But in the eyes of mortals, it has a fleshly body resembling an ugly rabbit, adept at invading dreams and manipulating fate. That thing is scarier than the Undead Aggregation that appeared in Milestone last month.

If you borrow too much of the power of the Golden Lucky Rabbit Foot, you might summon that terrifying evil object’s projection.”

He sighed, finally closing the newspaper:

“So, the danger level of this relic is actually not low; it mainly depends on whether the user is greedy. Maybe the relic’s holder can always stay rational and resist temptation, but how can you ensure that every person who touches the relic can remain rational? The containment conditions are not harsh, shaving off a small piece of rabbit meat every few days and eating it is enough, but what kind of resolve must the person responsible for watching over it have, to not only control themselves but also others?”

“Rabbit visits in dreams and a change in diet? I think I can handle it.”

From what it sounds like, containing this relic within the True God Church would be the safest. But now, the relic’s owner is Old John’s friend, Mr. Logan Rodriguez, a historian and visiting scholar from the Kingdom of Carsonrick.

Old Logan is also a member of the Hermit Society. After confirming that Shard wanted to borrow the relic, Old John made him pay a 10-pound usage fee and asked him to watch the Pawnshop temporarily before grabbing his coat to borrow it.

The Keeper of Secrets Level Relic, the Golden Lucky Rabbit Foot, wasn’t the small, palm-sized dried rabbit leg Shard had imagined. Instead, it was a robust, fresh rabbit leg as large as half a boar, with fluffy white fur that felt very textured, and even had fresh traces of blood at the breaking point of the leg.

Old John packed it in a box and, calling Shard for help, hefted it laboriously off the carriage into the pawnshop.

As the old shopkeeper wiped his sweat and lamented that his age was catching up with him, Shard opened the box. For a moment, amidst the white rabbit fur, he saw a pair of eyes staring back at him, but upon looking again, there was nothing.

“Soul too sensitive, inspiration too high.”

Muttering in his heart, Shard, smelling the scent of flesh, reached out to touch the rabbit leg. The feel of the white, soft rabbit fur was nowhere as pleasant as the smooth, lovely fur of little Mia.

[Outlander, you have gained temporary luck.]

“Is that all?”

Shard quickly withdrew his hand. Besides the prompt from “her,” he didn’t notice any changes in himself.

“What more do you want? To have golden light shining from you or to hear music playing by your ear?”

Old John asked with a laugh, then called Shard to help carry the item onto the carriage.

“I spent 10 pounds on this; naturally, I’m hoping for some reaction.”

After leaving Old John’s Auction House, he returned home immediately. The preparations for the trip were already complete. However, this time, he did not bring the “Night Watchman” among the relics. This sword was currently too sensitive. Shard decided to determine the specifics of the destination this time before making any further plans.

He greeted the cat napping on the second-floor sofa, put on his hat, and entered the basement carrying the White Stone Crystal.

“May the Primordial Rift protect me in the Infinite Space.”

As his words fell, Shard successfully entered the fog-filled Spatial Labyrinth by touching the Ancient God Statue.

The Spatial Labyrinth was different from most other Ancient God Residual Spaces. In here, one must not walk around carelessly, otherwise, they might be caught in chaotic space. The safe zone in the white fog was that foggy path, which now had three old signposts corresponding to Tobesk Saint Delan Square Basement, Coldwater Port Cliff Cave, and Midshire Fort Mountain Ruins.

Although he wasn’t certain if there was also an Ancient God Statue near Huntington City, this adventure set out for divinity could not be delayed.

Holding the White Stone Crystal in both hands:

“Sacrifice.”

[New information acquired, you may search for new signposts. Please choose a general direction.]

“South!”

The crystal silently melted into the fog, and the fog on the path dispersed a bit, revealing the fourth signpost.

The broken wood stuck into the fog, with a wooden arrow nailed to the wood, awkwardly inscribed with the number four.

Shard walked over, adjusted his mood to face a brand-new adventure, and then placed his hand on the brand-new signpost:

“Now, let’s go.”

[The Primordial Rift will guide your direction.]

As the whispering sound fell in his ear, the surrounding white fog also dissipated. What came into view was a circular space almost identical to the hidden wall behind his basement.

But the edge of this space didn’t have Shard’s pile of miscellaneous stuff, only a human skeleton leaning against the wall, its clothes almost completely decayed.

The double-headed Ancient God statue in the center of the space radiated light, illuminating the place as Shard gazed at it, while the skeleton quietly rested against the wall without any movement.

“If there were undead this close to an Ancient God Statue, I should probably question if I’m still asleep.”

Shard’s first action was not to examine the skeleton or leave here but to take out a water bottle toy from his pocket, restore it, and pour the entire bottle of water over his hair.

The luck provided by the lucky rabbit foot ended immediately, and Shard, feeling relieved, wiped his hair with a towel while approaching the skeleton by the wall.

There were no texts or letters around the skeleton, and the tattered clothes provided no clue for Shard to identify the body. Based on his basic knowledge, he could only conclude that it was a male. The exact time of death was completely indeterminable, but from the degree of decay, it certainly wasn’t in the last ten years.

Every round hidden space containing an Ancient God statue looked almost identical, so Shard left different marks at various locations as identification. This skeleton was obviously not a good marking item, but Shard did not touch it. Instead, he thought about exploring this place to figure out where it was. Only after confirming, this space was as undiscovered as other spots, he planned to bury it.

“The exploration begins again. Hopefully, this place isn’t too far from the populated area and won’t require me to swim underwater. Climbing is fine, but I recall there are plains near Huntington, not hills.”

Shard quietly prayed in his heart, drawing Mr. Dawn’s holy emblem on his chest. He then called forth his Ring of Fate and used the Spiritual Light from the Spirit Rune of Space-Time to shine on the wall the statue pointed to.

The hidden wall revealed a pitch-black passage, with the good news being that there was complete silence outside.

“It’s morning, no light means there aren’t even windows around. This time, still underground? Come to think of it, every hidden wall seems to be below ground level.”

He didn’t immediately proceed but took a few cautious sniffs. The airflow from outside the passage reached behind the hidden wall, and Shard caught a whiff of red wine.

“Could it be a drunkard recently drinking here? No, the air is very dry, and this wine aroma is quite mellow.”

Besides the wine scent, with careful sniffing, there was also the smell of oak and dry straw.

After confirming no one was outside, Shard cautiously stepped out of the wall. He didn’t immediately summon moonlight for illumination but, relying on Dark Vision, looked around in the dark and saw rows of neatly arranged oak wine barrels.

The space he was in was approximately three times the size of Shard’s master bedroom, with the floor covered in dry straw. Oak wine barrels of identical make lined the walls neatly. Each barrel had a copper-colored tap installed, and a single shelf held tools such as crowbars, measuring cylinders, flints, wine cups, and wooden ladles.

The room was roughly divided into upper and lower levels, with the upper level being a narrow wooden boardwalk around the wall. Besides stacks of wine barrels, there were only narrow walkways and railings. Although it expanded the space, it didn’t look very safe.

There was no light around, the walls unpainted revealing a rough surface, while the wooden fence gates were locked with hinges. The air was dry and stuffy, but this environment likely facilitated the fermentation of the red wine.