Free Web NovelChapter 85: Chapter 85: The First Storage Treasure
The settlement panel appeared inside a quiet stone chamber beyond the exit gate.
Unlike the battlefields, swamps, and camps before it, Stone Puppet Hall did not dissolve into mist or roar in defeat. It simply calculated.
Orderly.
Cold.
Precise.
[Floor 9: Stone Puppet Hall]
[Main Mission: Pass through Stone Puppet Hall and activate exit gate — Completed.]
[Side Mission: Defeat 12 Stone Puppets — Completed.]
[Side Mission: Collect 5 Puppet Cores — Completed.]
[Side Mission: Avoid triggering lethal mechanism traps — Completed.]
[Optional Mechanism Trial: Eye Door completed.]
[Floor Boss: Stone Puppet Commander defeated.]
[Team Survival: All members alive.]
[Emergency Withdrawal: None.]
[Calculating final evaluation...]
The result flashed.
[Final Evaluation: SSS]
Qin Mo, still seated on the floor, lifted a thumb.
"Acceptable."
The reward list appeared.
[SSS Evaluation Rewards]
EXP +1,900
Tower Coins x20,000
S Grade Stone Puppet Hall Trial Chest x1
A Grade Stone Puppet Commander Core x1
A Grade Stone Body Fruit x3
A Grade Puppet Formation Plate x1
A Grade Mechanism Insight Crystal x1
B Grade Storage Item Fragment x2
Special Mark: Puppet Formation Breaker
Qin Mo’s eyes stopped on the Mechanism Insight Crystal.
"That sounds useful."
Qin Yuheng smiled faintly.
"It is yours if suitable."
Qin Mo looked suspicious.
"Just like that?"
"You led the mechanism part."
Qin Mo blinked.
For once, he did not immediately complain.
The return light brought them back to the Heavenly Gate Tower.
Another SSS evaluation.
Another wave of stunned discussion.
But this time, something else happened.
When the academy staff saw the reward record included Mechanism Insight Crystal and Puppet Formation Plate, Qin Mo’s name was highlighted as a major contributor in the mechanism section.
Students began whispering not only about Qin Yuheng.
But about Qin Mo.
"Qin Mo contributed heavily?"
"The lazy Qin formation student?"
"I heard he led the Eye Door mechanism."
"Maybe Qin Yuheng’s team is strong because every member has a role."
Qin Mo looked deeply uncomfortable.
"I dislike being perceived."
Qin Lian said, "You performed well."
"That is why this is happening."
Yu Qingmei’s report reflected the same.
For the first time, the academy’s internal evaluation upgraded Qin Mo separately.
[Qin Mo]
Role: Formation and mechanism support
Recent performance:
- Poison suppression field
- Stone Puppet Hall mechanism leadership
- Trap reversal during resource contest
- Seal disruption support in Broken Seal Ruin
Recommendation:
Add to support-type Hidden Seed observation list.
Qin Mo did not know that yet.
If he had, he might have tried harder to appear useless.
That night, the Qin team returned home with the Stone Puppet Hall rewards.
Qin Wanshan praised Qin Mo directly.
"You did well."
Qin Mo bowed weakly.
"Thank you, Grandfather."
Qin Beiyan, his father, appeared from the side courtyard and laughed.
"My son finally looks like he may not sleep through family history." ƒrēewebnovel.com
Qin Mo’s face twitched.
"Father, your encouragement is painful."
Qin Beiyan patted his shoulder.
"Good. Pain keeps people awake."
Tie Zhenshan was summoned to inspect the puppet materials. He was especially interested in the Stone Puppet Commander Core and Puppet Formation Plate.
"These can create training puppets," he said. "Not full commander-grade, but good enough for young clan combat drills."
Qin Wanshan’s eyes lit slightly.
A training puppet system.
That would benefit the entire Qin younger generation.
Qin Yuheng later handled the private evolutions.
First, the S Grade Stone Puppet Hall Trial Chest.
[S Grade Stone Puppet Hall Trial Chest]
↓
[SSS Grade Ancient Mechanism Sovereign Chest]
Opening it produced:
[SSS Grade Ancient Puppet Sovereign Core x1]
[SS Grade Skill Book: Stone Thunder Puppet Breaking Art x1]
[SS Grade Mechanism Insight Crystal x1]
[S Grade Spatial Storage Ring Fragment x1]
[S Grade Puppet Refining Blueprint x1]
Qin Yuheng’s gaze stopped immediately.
Spatial Storage Ring Fragment.
He took out all storage item fragments collected so far.
C Grade Storage Item Fragment from Eye Door.
Two B Grade Storage Item Fragments from boss drops.
Two B Grade Storage Item Fragments from settlement.
One S Grade Spatial Storage Ring Fragment.
His panel flickered.
[Compatible storage fragments detected.]
[Can be fused into low-grade storage item.]
[Eligible for Primordial Origin Evolution after fusion.]
Qin Yuheng’s heartbeat quickened.
Everyone had basic system inventory, but true storage items were still valuable. Storage rings could be given to family members, guards, or used as decoys. More importantly, a storage item created from evolved fragments might have special concealment.
He fused the fragments first.
[Storage fragments fused.]
[Obtained: B Grade Mixed Space Storage Ring]
[Capacity: 30 cubic meters]
[Eligible for Primordial Origin Evolution.]
Only B grade after fusion.
But eligible.
He considered.
Quality Enhancement could create one high-grade ring.
Quantity Multiplication could produce many B-grade rings.
The family needed storage items.
But a high-grade storage ring could protect his sensitive items or serve as a family treasury tool. He already had hidden system storage, but external storage was useful for believable resource movement.
He chose Quality Enhancement.
[B Grade Mixed Space Storage Ring]
↓
[SS Grade Hidden Void Storage Ring]
[Capacity: 500 cubic meters]
[Additional Effects:
- Concealed aura
- Layered storage sections
- Basic anti-scan formation
- Owner blood-binding]
Qin Yuheng smiled.
Excellent.
Not for himself as primary storage.
For family operations.
He brought it to Qin Wanshan.
The old man examined it and immediately understood its value.
"This solves many transfer problems."
"Yes," Qin Yuheng said. "Resources can move through this instead of exposing inventory patterns."
Qin Wanshan nodded.
"We will keep it in the inner treasury. Only you, me, Zhengyuan, Qinglan, and Gu Tianhe may access it for now."
Qin Yuheng agreed.
The Mechanism Insight Crystal was next.
He enhanced the A Grade crystal from settlement.
[A Grade Mechanism Insight Crystal]
↓
[SS Grade Mechanism Heart Insight Crystal]
He gave it to Qin Mo.
Qin Mo stared at it.
"This is too good."
"You earned it."
"I was hoping you would not say that. Now I must use it."
"Correct."
Qin Mo held the crystal carefully.
For all his complaints, his fingers were steady.
With this crystal, his understanding of mechanisms, traps, puppet patterns, and formation logic would improve greatly.
Qin Yuheng also enhanced the Puppet Refining Blueprint.
[S Grade Puppet Refining Blueprint]
↓
[SS Grade Ancient Guardian Puppet Refining Blueprint]
Tie Zhenshan nearly dropped his hammer when he saw it.
"With this," the blacksmith said slowly, "and enough cores, we can build guardian puppets for the Qin Estate."
Qin Wanshan’s gaze deepened.
Hidden defense.
Training.
Emergency protection.
Another foundation stone had fallen into place.
By clearing Floor 9, Qin Yuheng had not merely gained personal power.
He had given the Qin family tools to build systems.
Storage.
Training puppets.
Mechanism insight.
Defensive formations.
The family was no longer only healing old wounds.
It was preparing for future war.
