Ch. 17 - The Chaotic Aftermath of a Broken Dungeon

[System Testimony from the Paranormal Game]: Player Bai Wan disregarded other players’ experience, forcibly disrupted the intended plot flow, and ultimately stole both the Blood Husk Idol and the ghost ship via cunning means by entering the control room, causing irreversible damage to the dungeon, which is now non-functional. We ask the settlement system to fully consider these factors and deliver appropriate sanctions.

[Rating Adjustment: C → -S (No reward granted)]

[Due to player’s performance, Epic Title Earned: He Always Breaks Everything]

Bai Wan stared, dumbfounded.

This is way too much… He could’ve accepted a D-rank.

But a negative rating? What even was that?! The dungeon’s breaking wasn’t his fault! Wasn’t it the system’s own glitch?

Then his eyes moved to the earned title. He remembered Liu Tong mentioning something in the dungeon—how only a handful of prodigies and top-tier players ever received system-awarded titles. Each one was unique. The highest honor the game could give.

He honestly never expected to get one himself.

But staring at the name of the title… he felt a chill of foreboding.

[Title: He Always Breaks Everything]

Quality: Epic

Effect: Players bearing this title emit an unusual lure to Paranormal Entities. In the eyes of Paranormals, this player appears especially delicious. Thus, Paranormals will most likely target this player first.

Bai Wan: “…”

What the hell?!

Are you serious right now?! He admitted there may have been a “minor misunderstanding” between him and the system, but to go so far as to craft a title specifically to torment him?

Was this really necessary?! This is just absurd!

He was fuming… until he kept reading.

Then his eyes started gleaming.

[Dungeon Rewards for Player Bai Wan]:

1. [Damaged Ghost Ship]

Description: Once a perfectly ordinary vessel, the ship became haunted after being invaded by a Paranormal wooden cabin during a voyage. The captain sought divine aid and installed an idol onboard, which did repel the Paranormal—unfortunately, the idol turned out to be a cursed Blood Husk statue. Since then, the ship has become a full-fledged ghost ship.

The vessel has been damaged by its passage through a dimensional rift. If repaired, the player may apply to become its official captain, unlocking a special class: Ghost Captain.

Player has not yet obtained captain status, but retains authority to command crew members.

Note: The Ghost Ship is a top-tier game artifact cursed with immense power. Only a Ghostsmith-tier craftsman can repair it.

Included Crew Member: Granny Bones.

2. [Blood Husk Idol]

Category: Paranormal Artifact

Quality: Abyssal

Description: One of the idols connected to the Blood Husk Buddha. Possesses the power to link to the Blood Buddha.

Abilities:

[Awaken] — Gradually revives the Blood Husk Idol, allowing it to resist Paranormals. Costs 120 Paranormal Coins per second.

[Devotion] — Offer a common Paranormal Artifact to receive a Crimson Bodhi Seed (revives player once; after revival, immune to all damage for 1 hour).

[Eye of the Blood Buddha (Passive)] — Has a chance to trigger upon encountering fatal danger and block Paranormal attacks. After first activation, enters a six-hour cooldown. Maximum two activations per dungeon.

[Abyssal Exclusive] — Divine Descent: Spend 300 coins per second (minimum 10 seconds) to summon the Blood Husk Buddha in person.

System Penalty: This item was obtained through illicit means. As punishment, once player uses a coin-consuming active ability from this idol, they will be forbidden from using the item in the next dungeon.

Bai Wan nearly drooled.

The Ghost Ship actually came with him… Even if it was damaged, he could repair it and become a Ghost Captain! Just the name sounded cool.

And on top of that, he got his hands on an Abyssal-grade Paranormal Artifact.

He didn’t know the full artifact tier system, but just from the coin cost alone, he knew this thing was top-notch. His Bloodstained Skull Bandage, a Blood-tier item, only cost 40 coins per second. This one tripled that.

There’s no way a newbie dungeon was ever meant to hand out gear like this.

The Ghost Ship and Blood Husk Idol were clearly meant to be atmospheric world-building props—never actual loot.

And yet… thanks to a bug, he’d pocketed both. Good thing he didn’t listen to the system and log out, Bai Wan thought, or he’d never have gotten any of this. 

The negative rating? Who cared anymore? Only downside was that cursed title.

But all in all, he’d come out ahead.

Then he saw something else unexpected.

3. [Paranormal Entity: “Chen Weiyu”]

Description: A paranormal entity born within the ancient wooden cabin. Terrified of the Blood Husk Idol, it remained hidden inside the cabin for years. In order to survive, it evolved the ability to mimic humans. However, since it was dragged out of the game into reality, its appearance is permanently fixed to Chen Weiyu’s likeness. For safety reasons, the system has automatically designated it as a crew member of the Ghost Ship.

So she really did come out with the ship… He’d left that good little ‘sister’ locked in a room on the ghost ship. Since he’d brought the whole ship out, it was only natural she came too.

“She’s officially a crew member now, huh? My dear ‘sister’…” Bai Wan glanced toward the ship’s interior, an ominous smile tugging at his lips. If I can command the crew…

More messages followed.

[Congratulations, Player Bai Wan. You’ve cleared the dungeon. You’ve earned +1 Skill Point, which may be used to upgrade an existing skill (only skills marked upgradeable) or unlock a new skill from the skill menu.]

[Due to your passive skill: Bug Exploiter, you may pay coins to permanently keep one of the temporary bugs triggered during the dungeon. Available bugs to purchase:]

[Door Vanishing Technique]

Level: 4 (bug severity, not upgradeable)

Description: Touch a door, gently trace its surface, and silently chant “Vanish” to make it disappear. Chant “Appear,” and the door will return.

Cost to Keep: 300 Paranormal Coins

Note: Higher-level bugs require more time to unlock in future dungeons. This one requires 4 in-dungeon days before activation.

Bai Wan lit up at the chance to learn a new skill. 

Still, the system hadn’t finished processing his results. He decided to wait before making a choice.

Three hundred coins… not cheap, but not unreasonable either. The Door Vanishing Technique was genuinely useful—perfect for evading entities or trapping them in walls. But the time lock was a drawback—four days in-dungeon just to use it?

And right now, he only had 339 coins. Most of it was system compensation for the chaos he caused.

If only he’d kept the S-rating… That would’ve netted him another 300 coins. He’d have bought the skill without hesitation. But if he bought the bug now, he’d lose the ability to use his lifesaving artifacts.

Neither the Bloody Skeleton Bandage nor the Blood Husk Idol worked without coin fuel. Especially the idol—burning 120 coins per second—that was a money pit.

Right now, he had gear but no gas.

“Will I lose the bug if I don’t buy it now?” he asked aloud.

[Temporary bugs remain available until you enter your next dungeon. You may purchase at any time until then.]

Bai Wan nodded. No need to rush.

With the Ghost Ship safely tucked away in his inventory, he quietly fled the scene of the crime. After all, his neighborhood wall had just been demolished by the ship. If anyone saw it…

Luckily, his apartment wasn’t far.

But just as he arrived home, a familiar voice shrieked from inside the photo frame slung across his back.

“Bro! Brother! I think… I think I’m getting my own results screen?!”

“…Huh?” Bai Wan turned to stare at his little sister within the photo in disbelief.

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