Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Eye of the Dove

The magician extended his slender hands, swiftly moving the cups before you at a dazzling speed. Five cups danced across the table, leaving afterimages in the air. He deliberately used his long fingers to block your line of sight, skillfully guiding your gaze away with each motion. Even with your enhanced dynamic vision, it was nearly impossible not to be deceived by his intricate sleight of hand.

Chenqi couldn’t help but admire the magician’s technique—it was truly remarkable. If only the Morningstar hadn’t been tracking that daylight coin the entire time, he might have been able to hone his character’s dynamic vision further.

The magician continued shuffling the cups. After a full minute of dizzying motion, he finally stopped, his lips curling into a smile. He asked which cup you would like to open, teasing that your odds were one in five.

Without hesitation, you chose the center cup.

The magician’s movements had been so swift that not even he himself was certain where the coin resided. He exhaled a warm breath and lifted the central cup.

A delightful daylight coin appeared beneath it!

“Damn it!” You heard the magician’s low, angry growl and his muttered curses, but soon his expression softened once more.

“Your eyesight—or rather, your luck—is truly remarkable, sir,” he said begrudgingly. He added that he no longer had any daylight coins left to continue the game with you, but could offer a game with moon silver coins instead.

Chenqi pursed his lips. A daylight coin was a nice prize, but what he truly coveted was the "Lamp Aspect Treasure" the magician had mentioned earlier.

Please make your choice.

1. Continue and play on.
2. Leave and quit while ahead.
3. Pretend to leave.

After considering, Chenqi decided the third, more cunning option was best.

Pretend to leave.

Without another word, you turned and began to walk away slowly, occasionally glancing up at the lanterns hanging in the sky.

As you gradually departed, the magician called out to you. In his eyes now shone a more terrifying courage and greed. He asked whether you were one of the Lamp Aspect.

The bait had been taken. Chenqi decisively chose to admit it.

You turned back, approaching the magician and quietly told him you were of the Lamp Aspect.

The magician bowed once more and explained that he possessed a treasure only someone of the Lamp Aspect could equip. As such, it was useless to him, but its price was not trivial.

He offered to place the treasure under a cup for you—if you were willing to pay five daylight coins.

He revealed the treasure: a small white dove pendant. As you held it, you could feel the Lamp Aspect energy within—it was indeed valuable.

You replied that you were poor and only had two daylight coins.

Hmm… my character in the game is quite honest, Chenqi thought with a wry smile.

The magician hesitated, then said that as it was your first meeting, he would give you a discount—would you pay two daylight coins?

Two daylight coins! Chenqi felt a pang of reluctance.

Yet, to obtain a Lamp Aspect treasure for just two daylight coins was no loss—especially since he still had rubies to sell and could make more money. It was worth a try. With the Morningstar’s tracking, he was determined to get the treasure.

He activated the Morningstar’s tracking, locking onto the dove pendant.

The Morningstar shifted its focus from the daylight coin to the dove pendant.

You handed over two daylight coins.

The magician glanced up at the little Greed in the sky, placed the dove pendant under a cup, and began shuffling the cups once more.

This time, his speed was only moderate, so your dynamic vision could just barely keep up.

After half a minute, the magician stopped and asked which cup you wished to open.

The Morningstar locked onto the far left cup. You chose the far left cup.

Is that so? This time you’ve lost, sir.

The magician blinked, a mocking smile appearing as he slowly lifted the leftmost cup.

At that moment, bold text appeared on Chenqi’s screen—something he’d never seen before!

In your eyes, the Morningstar slips beneath the table and starts moving toward the center cup!

Another urgent message flashed across the screen.

Make your immediate choice: 1. Stop him. 2. Remain calm! (1 second to choose)

Stop him!

Time was critical—Chenqi’s instincts chose the first option.

There’s a mechanism under the table! It can shift the position of the objects—this is why the magician dares to play this game himself!

If he didn’t react in time, he’d lose two daylight coins for nothing.

You instantly grabbed the magician’s right hand as he opened the cup. With a swift motion, you drove the Shadow Dagger into the table, jamming the mechanism!

Well done! Chenqi silently praised his character.

The magician’s eyes blazed with anger as he glared at you. He snarled that anyone attacking a street vendor here without cause would face the debt collectors’ punishment. Gritting his teeth, he threatened you, demanding you withdraw your knife at once.

Please make your choice.

1. Let go.
2. Threaten him.

Threaten him—this was no time to back down!

You showed no fear, leaning in and speaking softly: your eyesight guaranteed the item was in this very cup—not beneath the table.

How do you know it’s under the table? Cold sweat dripped down the magician’s face; after a moment, helplessness replaced his anger, and he begged you not to say another word.

At this point, you sensed an unusual atmosphere—the dolls in the sky were all turning their gaze toward you.

Oh?

If what he said was true, the sky-dwelling dolls were monitoring the vendors here.

If his trick was discovered, even if the monitors didn’t intervene, those who had lost to the magician wouldn’t let him off so easily!

Stalemate.

You didn’t loosen your grip. Fear finally overtook the magician’s face.

He hesitated, then pleaded with you, offering both the two daylight coins and the Eye of the White Dove if only you would keep his secret. He confessed he was now penniless.

Please make your choice.

Accept or refuse.

To reclaim two daylight coins and acquire the Eye of the White Dove—Chenqi considered it. It was a good deal. Refusing might mean ending up with nothing, especially since he was unfamiliar with this place.

Accept.

You received two daylight coins.

You received the Eye of the White Dove.

Exclusive Lamp Aspect equipment! Chenqi swallowed hard with excitement.

Eagerly, he opened the item panel to inspect the Eye of the White Dove.

Eye of the White Dove

Description: Once the eye of a traveler’s pet dove, who left the New City to witness the vast world beyond. Even after the traveler’s death, the dove continued to observe this world.

Requirements: Inspiration 15, Lamp Aspect, at least one normal eye.

The first two requirements were met—his eyes should count as normal, right? Chenqi read on.

Let’s hope nothing goes wrong during equipping.

Equipment Type: Possession-type. Drip the Eye of the White Dove into your eye to equip.

Equipment Effects:

Another Eye, White Dove (Active): You may summon a white dove that flies and moves under your will. It becomes your second eye. The dove cannot be more than 1,000 meters from you; if destroyed, it requires 2 hours and 4 Spirit to recover.

Dove Vision (Passive): You can perceive the flow of spiritual energy. The higher your Inspiration, the better the effect (maxes at 30 Inspiration).

Another eye? And it’s possession-type equipment! He could fully activate the Dove Vision as well.

Chenqi decisively chose to equip the Eye of the White Dove.

Right eye.

You gently squeezed the white dove pendant; it transformed into a white droplet that entered your right eye. Immediately, your vision became clearer and brighter.

This description makes the Eye of the White Dove sound like eye drops, Chenqi thought.

He pressed his right eye; just as the text described, his vision grew sharper and more comfortable.

Come forth, my other eye! Chenqi willed.

From his right eye, a translucent white liquid emerged, rapidly taking the form of a bird, and finally becoming a nimble, delicate white dove.

At that moment, his field of vision split in two—his perception expanded vastly.

What a marvelous feeling! However…

No… it was impossible to distinguish which vision belonged to him and which to the dove.

Stop!

He recalled the dove; it flapped its delicate wings, turned back into liquid, and returned to his right eye.

The dove was fast, too!

“Whew…”

This was undoubtedly an extraordinary item! Chenqi let out a long breath, though he knew it would take time to master.

He blinked a few times and turned his attention back to the New Sun game.

The magician you exposed sat at his stall. He insisted his mechanism was flawless, and this was the first time he’d suffered such a loss. He hadn’t been in this business long, and now, apart from the suit on his back, he owned nothing. The Eye of the White Dove was useless to him, but acquiring it had cost him dearly. You could sense helplessness and fury in his eyes.

…

Chenqi could imagine the expression on the magician’s face.

Please make your choice.

1. Leave the area.
2. Extract information about the “Ancient Book” and the Nightwatcher.

This man was in charge of greeting guests and had likely met Nightwatcher Ford. With leverage over him, there was no better source for information.

Chenqi chose the second option.

You reassured the magician that if you spread word of his loss, more customers would flock to him and he’d make his money back.

Slightly cheered by your words, the magician admitted you were a good person for not mocking him.

Once his mood had improved, you edged closer and quietly inquired about the Nightwatcher who took the book.

The magician’s heart chilled, and fear flickered in his eyes.