Under the watchful eyes of the gathered players, European Emperor quietly closed his eyes and began muttering under his breath, praying to every deity he could think of—from the Jade Emperor to the Tathagata Buddha. Only after taking a deep breath did he slowly open the chest.
The player running the betting pool stood on tiptoe, craning his neck in anticipation.
*Whoosh—*
A beam of white light shone from within the metal chest.
**Kobold Leather Trousers**
**Quality:** None
**Description:** Unlike wild dogs, kobolds are covered only in scales rather than fur, leaving them prone to shivering in the cold. Kobolds fortunate enough to possess leather trousers made from animal pelts wear them with immense pride. If you lean in close for a sniff, you might even catch a rather peculiar odor.
"Haah—"
"Turns out he's just an African chieftain after all."
"What is there to look at? Just a pair of stinking leather pants."
Listening to the jeers around him, European Emperor flushed crimson. Gritting his teeth, he muttered, "Just you wait! I still have three chances left. There's no way I won't get a decent pull!"
Within the crowd, the robed wizard chuckled darkly once more.
Charlotte stared at European Emperor from afar, an endless gloom seemingly lurking beneath the shadow of his hood. He whispered to himself, "Heh, poor kid. This is only the beginning of hell."
"A-Again!"
European Emperor panted like an ox, bean-sized beads of sweat already dripping from his brow.
Another flash of white light burst forth.
An overpowering, rancid stench spilled from the chest, drawing a few stray flies that buzzed toward the smell.
**Kobold Butcher's Leather Mask**
**Quality:** None
**Description:** Kobolds are by no means a clean race—in fact, they are downright filthy—yet even they struggle to endure the stench of rotting meat. An ingenious kobold butcher thus invented this leather mask, though it appears to have seen extensive use.
"How is that possible?"
European Emperor froze as though struck by lightning, his complexion turning an ashen gray.
"Hahaha, this guy's luck is pitch-black!"
"Holy crap, he must be blessed by the Kobold God!"
Even Charlotte, standing amid the spectators, felt a twinge of fellow-sufferer sympathy flicker in his eyes.
The pungent stench and the players' ruthless mockery hung thick in the air around European Emperor.
Yet rather than slumping in defeat, his breathing grew more ragged, his face burned an even deeper crimson, and veins bulged on his forehead.
"I-It's just one or two bad pulls, that doesn't prove anything!"
"How could a European Emperor ever lose?!"
"My turn—open the chest!"
European Emperor slammed his hand onto the chest and roared at the top of his lungs.
Another beam of white light radiated from the new metal container.
**Unhatched Kobold Egg**
**Quality:** None
**Description:** Kobolds typically place their eggs in warm, dry caverns to incubate. Should the incubation fail, these nutrient-rich eggs serve as handy emergency rations. They taste much like ordinary bird eggs, albeit with a heavy, fishy gameyness. At least they are plentiful and filling, though no self-respecting chef would give such an ingredient a second glance.
"Nothing again! Nothing again!"
European Emperor's face drained of all color. Overcome by extreme emotion, his entire body trembled, his words slurring into an incoherent stammer.
"Man, this guy's got it rough..."
"Talk about a disastrous start."
"A little gamble is fun, heavy gambling hurts, but reckless gambling turns you to ash!"
Even the onlookers who had come just to watch the spectacle began to pity him.
A novice player who took out a loan to gamble on loot boxes, only to pull absolute garbage due to wretched luck.
It was as if every negative debuff imaginable had stacked upon him. If this final chest yielded nothing, he would face a catastrophic start—saddled with crippling debt and left completely penniless. Crushed at the starting line, he would have virtually no chance of recovery.
"Th-There's only one chest left."
European Emperor gasped for breath, sweat dripping down his cheeks and chin. Yet when he lifted his head, his eyes were bloodshot, burning with a frantic fanaticism.
"No child cries forever, no gambler always loses—watch me pull off a clutch comeback!"
"Open!"
European Emperor roared. That resounding shout carried the sheer desperation of a man wagering everything on one last throw.
*Whoosh—*
From the seam of the metal chest, another pale white light flickered to life.
**Kobold Wooden Spear**
**Quality:** None
**Description:** Proliferating like weeds, kobolds typically hunt in packs, with spears serving as their weapon of choice. However, they rarely dare to provoke colossal beasts, as these crude, shoddily crafted implements cannot even pierce thick hide.
*Thud.*
European Emperor dropped to his knees.
His face was deathly pale, his eyes hollow and vacant, as though his very soul had been torn away.
"How could this happen... How could this be...?"
"I clearly had insider info..."
Lonely as Snow gently patted European Emperor's shoulder, though his own expression was hardly any better, a dark cloud hanging over his features.
*This guy didn't just ruin himself—*
*He dragged me down with him!—*
*If I'd known, I would've just stuck to Big S's guide.*
Lonely as Snow appeared calm on the surface, but inwardly he was crying tears of blood. The thought of starting the game saddled with a five-gold debt filled him with boundless regret.
Having completely lost faith in the outrageously abysmal drop rates, he stepped forward with the resignation of a dead pig that no longer feared boiling water.
"Whatever. Since I'm already here, I might as well try my luck."
"Who knows, maybe a blind cat will stumble upon a dead mouse."
"Heh."
Lonely as Snow casually flipped the chest open.
*Whoosh—*
"Holy crap, a drop!"
"The first blue gear since the server opened!"
"Now that's a real European Emperor!"
Instantly, the crowd erupted into a frenzy. The kneeling European Emperor whipped his head around in sheer disbelief, and even Charlotte in the shadows widened his eyes.
A brilliant blue glow shone through the opening.
Resting quietly inside the chest was a magnificent suit of armor inscribed with intricate runes, radiating an understated aura of supreme luxury.
Emblazoned across the chestplate was an emblem of intertwining flames and dragons—evidently a masterpiece from the Kingdom's Ministry of Magic.
**Kingdom Adamantine Armor**
**Quality:** Rare
**Description:** Crafted from adamantine, one of the hardest substances in existence. This armor is constructed from narrow vertical strips of metal riveted to a leather backing worn over padded cloth, with flexible chain mail protecting the joints. While wearing this armor, low-circle magic and ordinary blows will struggle to harm you.
"Holy shit..."
"It actually dropped."
Lonely as Snow stood frozen, at a complete loss for what to do.
The yuan-ti lady stepped forward with a warm smile. "What a fortunate guest! To receive such a blessing, it seems His Majesty watches over you closely."
Only then did Lonely as Snow snap out of his daze, pure ecstasy surging across his face.
"Holy shit! I fucking got a drop!"
The joys and sorrows of humanity are never shared. On the ground, European Emperor wept dry tears.
"I was clearly the European Emperor... It should've been my turn next..."
Chapter 285