Just as he was about to close his inventory and brainstorm another strategy, his eyes landed on a long-forgotten Special Equipment item.
[Blindfold of Knowledge Rejection (Special Equipment) â A thin, scented lace blindfold for women. Wearing it slightly reduces the amount of knowledge gained.]
He had found this item in the professorâs office guarded by the student Lir.
The Plant Owner kills by knowledge overload.
So if the Plant Owner canât fill him up, he wonât die!
This item reduces knowledge acquisition, itâs a perfect fit for this situation!
But the Earth Giantâs shell had a third eye, which amplified knowledge gain.
So instead, he could switch to the Dancer or Yellow-Robed Bishop shells.
Neither of them had knowledge-enhancing abilities.
Combined with the special blindfold, there was no way the Plant Owner could one-shot him.
Having found a strategy, Lin Xun was thrilled, he couldnât wait to get back to the Smelting Plant.
[From within the white mist came a familiar sound, the clatter of hooves and the creak of rolling wheelsâŠ]
[A Brass Carriage emerged from the fog and slowly came to a stop before you.]
Lin Xun boarded the carriage and headed straight for the Smelting PlantâŠ
Over ten minutes later, he stepped through its gates.
With his previous shell having died, the low-tier monsters inside the plant had all respawned.
However, instead of working by the furnace, they were now all asleep in the workersâ dormitory.
To avoid any accidents during the boss fight, Lin Xun possessed the Dancer shell and silently wiped out all the monsters.
His inventory of Rough Large Copper Ore once again exceeded two hundred pieces.
He moved deeper into the factory, gradually approaching the Plant Ownerâs office.
After a momentâs thought, Lin Xun deactivated the Dancerâs stealth skill.
[The reinforced copper doors of the Plant Ownerâs office had already been kicked down, bearing a deep footprint-shaped dent.]
[The Knowledge-Seeking Smelting Plant Owner was attempting to lift the heavy door upright, but its frail body clearly couldnât manage the task.]
[Just as it was about to call workers over for help, it noticed your arrival. Its eyes lit up, and it beckoned you to come helpâŠ]
[Benevolent Apostle, will you assist it?]
Lin Xun smiled faintly.
[You immediately walk to the side of the Knowledge-Seeking Smelting Plant Owner and help it lift the door togetherâŠ]
He opened his inventory and clicked on the Blindfold of Isolated Knowledge.
[You equipped the Blindfold of Isolated Knowledge. Your knowledge gain will now be reduced.]
[The Knowledge-Seeking Smelting Plant Owner looked at you in confusion, not understanding why you suddenly put on a womenâs black lace blindfoldâŠ]
His gaze turned sharp.
He decisively clicked on Widowmaker â Hidden Blade.
[A blade shot silently from your gauntlet and stabbed fiercely toward the Plant Ownerâs chestâŠ]
[The Knowledge-Seeking Smelting Plant Owner was shocked, all the eyes on its face snapping open as they locked onto youâŠ]
[Countless chaotic characters surged toward youâŠ]
[Your special equipment Blindfold of Isolated Knowledge blocked the majority of them. Only a small portion pierced through the blindfold and flooded into your mindâŠ]
[You were struck by Infusion of Illusory Knowledge. You felt a slight daze, then quickly returned to normal.]
[Your hidden blade plunged into the heart of the Knowledge-Seeking Smelting Plant Owner, blood spraying everywhere.]
[It stared at you in disbelief, then slowly crumpled to the groundâŠ]
[You have defeated the Knowledge-Seeking Smelting Plant Owner. Experience significantly increased.]
[Power surged through your shell. The Corrupted Earth Giant shell has leveled up. Current Shell Level: 35]
[You have obtained Indomitable Fading Chunk of Spirit Essence Ă1]
[You have obtained Activation Device for the Knowledge Barrier (Key)]
[You have obtained Eyeball of the Subterranean Oculomass Demon (Epic) Ă18]
[You have obtained Confession Letter to Grand Scholar Rona (Special Item)]
As expected, the Plant Owner was loaded, four items dropped upon death.
A long-lost feeling of harvest!
The game text continued.
[You look down at the corpse of the slain Plant OwnerâŠ]
[Knowledge-Seeking Smelting Plant Owner, a frail, short middle-aged man, owner of the only refined copper smelting plant in Sophia City, fabulously wealthy yet unpretentious. The many eyes that once covered his face now lay scattered across the floor, leaving only empty sockets. A gaping wound over his left chest marked the cause of death, heart pierced and ruptured. Compatibility: 112% (+45%)]
[Do you wish to possess this shell?]
Lin Xun discarded the technicianâs shell without hesitation and clicked âYes.â
[You have possessed the shell of the Knowledge-Seeking Smelting Plant Owner.]
[Fragments of the Plant Ownerâs memories linger within the shellâŠ]
[As the sole proprietor of Sophia Cityâs refined copper plant, he was wealthy beyond measure. Whatever he desired, he could simply buy. And if he couldnât buy it, heâd just pay more.]
[Over time, he gradually lost interest in material pursuits. Such was the plain and boring life of the rich.]
[Until he met Grand Scholar Rona of the Multivision School Association. In that moment, the Plant Owner felt he had found the true meaning of his life.]
[He had never lacked women, but someone like Grand Scholar Rona, he swore heâd never seen anyone like her in his life, knowledgeable, refined, and fiercely intelligent beneath her cold exteriorâŠ]
[He unleashed his usual financial offensive, determined to win her over. Yet the wealth that had always triumphed failed him this time.]
[âŠ]
[Eventually, the Plant Owner learned that Grand Scholar Rona had once stated, she admired men with profound knowledge.]
[Studying? Impossible. No way was he studying in this lifetime. Fortunately, there were other ways to obtain knowledgeâŠ]
[The Eyeballs of the Subterranean Oculomass Demon could help him achieve his dream. Even better, their grotesque, many-eyed appearance aligned perfectly with the Multivision Schoolâs aesthetic.]
[He poured massive funds into the eyeball transplant, just for a chance to earn her attentionâŠ]
[And after the surgery, her attitude did improve, from icy disdain to casual friendlinessâŠ]
[The Plant Owner racked his brain trying to impress Grand Scholar Rona, but still couldnât breach that final barrierâŠ]
[Then came a stroke of luck: miners uncovered a powerful creature the likes of which no one had ever seen. Given Grand Scholar Ronaâs thirst for knowledge, she was bound to be intrigued by such an unknown being.]
[He successfully invited her to the smelting plant. From her, he learned the creatureâs name, the Refined Copper Monstrosity, a being that consumed refined copper as its sustenance.]
[Once the Refined Copper Monstrosity consumed enough, it would generate something hundreds of times more valuable than Ultra-Grade copper, Refined Copper Essence. Weapons or dolls crafted from this substance would experience massive quality enhancements.]
[As a gesture of appreciation, Grand Scholar Rona set up the Knowledge Barrier in the basement to help him contain the monster.]
[The Plant Owner began feeding all of the plantâs output to the beast. And now, with the Refined Copper Monstrosity nearly full, he planned to slay it and harvest the Refined Copper Essence from its body.]
[The essence, paired with his heartfelt confession letter, would finally win him the heart of Grand Scholar RonaâŠ]
[The fragmented memories end here.]