Chapter 1 Oh? The Current Extra Rewards

He chose the first option—4000 Skill Points—almost without hesitation when he saw those three choices.

The other two options were meaningless to him…

The new skill slots can be bought with money. This was clearly stated in the version update patch. Though Brother Jue couldn't compare to those tycoons with billions upon billions, he could still scrape together eight figures' worth of game currency. Once the store opened, he could just buy them directly with game currency. Even if each of the three new skill slots cost three million, he could afford it.

As for the Title Reset Privilege… he had just used one today, so he naturally didn't need it for the time being.

"Judging from the second option, the rewards must be different each time now…" Feng Bujue thought after receiving the 4000 Skill Points. "Because there's a limit to the number of skill slots. If the 'Guts to Spare' rating always gave the same reward, then once players had acquired all three new skill slots, it would become a useless option."

His speculation was correct; the extra rewards system had indeed been revamped into a "different reward each time" format.

Now, after each scenario was settled, the system would give corresponding rewards based on the player's current character abilities, performance in the scenario, and Fear Rating. And the reward content was still optional.

The old system of fixed rewards became very lackluster in the later stages of the game… Even if the player had no Fear Value fluctuations in the scenario, the only reward they could choose was often "a piece of random equipment corresponding to their level." The quality of this equipment couldn't be guaranteed, and it was just bad luck if you drew "trash"...

As for the remaining two options… one was experience, which was useless to max-level players; the other was money, but even that had a limit. For those players who weren't short of money, this little bit of money wasn't attractive. And for those players or organizations who made RMB through the game, this small profit… while it couldn't be said that the effort and return were disproportionate, it would probably be impossible to earn a living wage from it.

Over time, the "Fear Rating Reward" setting became a very unpopular thing. It felt like… you worked your butt off, mustered your courage, and got through a scenario. You finally got a relatively good rating, but in the end, you only got a useless piece of equipment or a tiny bit of game currency—which really made it hard to get motivated.

Just like the "use Skill Points to exchange for game currency" system in the first version of the Thriller Box, Dream Inc. definitely couldn't tolerate this kind of lackluster or completely useless setting…

No matter how domineering and authoritarian they were in some aspects, Dream Inc. still put user experience first in the most core part of the game. So, taking advantage of this version update, Dream Inc. performed major surgery on this extra rewards system and changed it to what it is now.

"Hmm… still can't browse the items…" After receiving the reward, Brother Jue tried to open the Thriller Box's item interface, but he quickly received the system prompt 【This function is not yet open】.

Obviously, the Thriller Box's shopping function, like the store, would only be opened when the new version was officially launched on December 1st.

"Well… even if it was open, I wouldn't plan to use my experience time to look at equipment." Feng Bujue muttered and stood up from his seat.

When he left his seat, the puppet that popped out of the box began to struggle to pull on the spring under its body, trying to "stuff itself back" into the box.

Brother Jue chose to ignore this suspected act of cuteness and left the room without looking back…

When he returned to the elevator, the door beside him automatically closed.

"In any case… let's queue up for a scenario first." Feng Bujue stood in front of the touchscreen again and tapped it a few times. "In the middle of the night like this, nothing's more suitable than a long, solo Nightmare…"

He muttered to himself as he prepared to join the queue.

However…

"Eh?" At this moment, Brother Jue thought again, "But if I do that… wouldn't that be exactly what Woody wants?" He stroked his chin and pondered, "Why should I cooperate with him so much?"

"Hmph…" Feng Bujue thought for a while and canceled the operation. "Let others do the work of testing high-risk dimensions. I have other options…"

Thinking of this, he immediately turned around, pressed the switch, and went to the storage room.

He came to the new "storage cabinet" (now it was a cabinet, not a box), opened the cabinet, and took out that long-sealed —— 【"Poker Hero" Hero ID Card】.

"Hehe…" Feng Bujue actually missed that universe quite a bit. He smiled. "It's time to go to the UPL and farm some rewards."

…………

Not long after, Brother Jue returned to the screen with the card in hand.

【Feng Bujue, Level 50】

【Please select the game mode you wish to join.】

【You have selected the Free Exploration Mode.】

【Each entry into this mode will consume 20,000 game currency. Please confirm your operation.】

Feng Bujue quickly selected the mode and confirmed the payment operation.

【Confirmed…】

【Searching for your affiliated multiverse】

【Loading begins, please wait.】

As the voice prompt progressed to this point, Brother Jue could clearly feel the elevator vibrating.

"Welcome to Thriller Paradise." Subsequently, the system's standard voice directly recited this opening line.

【Loading is complete. You are currently in Free Exploration Mode.】

【This mode has no mission system, no time limit, and no penalty for passive play.】

【You can travel back and forth between the login space and the scenario world through the "Safe House" (each entry into this mode will consume 20,000 game currency).】

【The scenario has begun. Please leave this Safe House within five minutes.】

After this sentence, the elevator door beside Feng Bujue opened.

At this moment, what appeared before his eyes was the "Safe House" he had entered the last time he left this universe.

That is… in the Universe Superpower League… Hero Dormitory Zone Z… Room Z250's… toilet.

"It's been a long time since I've been here. How long did I set the departure time last time…" Feng Bujue said as he pushed open the door leading from the toilet to the room and walked into the not-so-spacious living room.

Here, let's briefly review the situation before he left last time…

That day, after he had settled the "Blood Corpse God Crisis" caused by "General Quake" on the planet Sluo, he returned to the Sluo Alliance with several other heroes.

When the Blood Corpse God reached an agreement with Brother Jue and transformed himself into the 【Blood Corpse God's Magatama】, Brother Jue deliberately avoided the on-site video and audio collection equipment. The other heroes present were either unconscious or still unable to think under the influence of "Fear Projection."

Therefore, after Feng Bujue returned, he declared that he had "blasted the Blood Corpse God into dust."

As the saying goes, the dead tell no tales. In addition, Brother Jue was originally sent by the UPL to provide support, so no one would doubt his statement. It was even more impossible for anyone to think that he could "recruit" the Blood Corpse God…

So, he bluffed his way through it and returned to the UPL headquarters with the seriously injured planetary hero "Tough Guy." The latter had his spine broken and was sent to the operating room as soon as he returned to the UPL headquarters, while Feng Bujue… returned to his dormitory and left this scenario world through the Safe House.

"Oh… I seem to have chosen 'one hour later.'" After recalling for a few seconds, Brother Jue found the answer in his memory attic.

At this time, he had already sat down in front of the computer in the room and inserted his Hero ID card into it.

【ID card is being retrieved…】

【Identity confirmed.】

【Welcome to log into this system, Poker Hero.】

"Okay… let me see what rewards I got for the last mission." Feng Bujue operated the computer and looked at his mission execution records.

At this moment, the event records of the last incident he handled had been updated in his profile.

Moreover, the level of this event had been changed…

When Feng Bujue took on this mission, it was only a 【C-Level Crisis】, that is, "a crisis sufficient to destroy a planet." Moreover, at the time, all the heroes of the "Sluo Alliance" who submitted the application believed that this was an event that was "certain to be handled." Therefore, the UPL only sent one planetary hero, Tough Guy, while Brother Jue followed as a "lackey."

However, no one expected that… with the unfolding of the event, the appearance of the Blood Corpse God… the Sluo Alliance was almost wiped out, Tough Guy was beaten to the point of being half-paralyzed (of course, the UPL's technology could cure even half-paralysis), and in the end, everyone actually relied on a "city-level hero" who had just participated in the hero level test to turn the tables.

In any case, during Feng Bujue and Tough Guy's return to the UPL, this event had been upgraded to a 【B-Level Crisis】 (a crisis that could destroy a galaxy). In fact, if Brother Jue hadn't settled the Blood Corpse God in the first place, then this matter could have completely turned into an 【A-Level Crisis】 (a major crisis that could destroy multiple galaxies), but that kind of assumption doesn't exist now…

"Hmm? Is that all?" After reading the event report, Feng Bujue looked at his profile again, and then he discovered a very serious problem—no rewards.

"So… engaging in heroic activities doesn't have any material rewards…" Brother Jue pondered. "Or rather, the material reward is that you can enjoy the various resources provided by the alliance, thus making it more convenient to carry out heroic activities?"

His speculation was correct… The UPL is just such an organization.

The so-called "superheroes" are originally such a group of people—"hero" is not a job, but a title.

"Soldier," "police," and "mercenary" are jobs, but a hero is not.

Superheroes are a group of people who risk their lives to uphold the justice in their hearts or to protect something… and who don't ask for anything in return.

Of course, there are also people who hold different views on this…

First of all, in the eyes of most planetary governments, "heroes" are an armed force that is not under their control, exercising force that is not under their control, and maintaining "justice" that is not under their control.

And "justice" and "law" often conflict. Even "justice" and "justice" can conflict due to different understandings of different people.

Secondly, in the private sector, there are also many people who hold the views that "heroes are outlaws," "they have no right to abuse their power," and "they need to be regulated."

As long as there are differences and selfishness in the individual thoughts between intelligent beings in the universe, as long as there are differences in beliefs and ideas in the universe… then similar contradictions and conflicts of ideas will always exist.

However, there is a natural law that is also always effective, and that is—the one with the "bigger fist" has the final say.

There are many ridiculously strong guys in the UPL. They have enough "ability" to prevent those guys who are always clamoring that "heroes' abilities are too great and need to be regulated" from touching them, and they have enough "belief"... willing to protect all ordinary people, including the aforementioned people.

The seven members of the "UPL Supreme Council" are the most typical examples. They can be called the beacon of the good camp in the entire universe. It is precisely because they have such "great" heroes sitting in charge that the organization's concept and the organization itself can continue to exist and be passed on.

As for Feng Bujue… his concept actually conflicts with that of the UPL. He is definitely not great enough to protect and tolerate those individuals or groups who are always thinking of banning or controlling him.

His idea is—"Those who think I am a threat, need to be regulated, and need to be controlled, when you face a situation that requires me to save you, please find a way to find those who you think are not a threat, have been regulated, and can be controlled to save you, but don't come to me."

By the way… this is just Feng Bujue's point of view "from the standpoint of a superhero." If he didn't have the identity of "hero," then he would choose to kill these people directly…

Di Di——

A few minutes later, just as Feng Bujue was preparing to browse other missions, two beeps suddenly sounded. In the same second, a pop-up window for an email appeared on the computer screen.

"Hmm?" Brother Jue glanced at the sender. It showed "Tin Foil Hero," and the content of the email was also very simple—【The cafe in the 15th block of the living area has launched new snacks. If you have time, let's go have afternoon tea together!】

"Hehe…" Feng Bujue smiled after reading the email. "Is this going to be some kind of dirty transaction…"

Having said that, he quickly typed a line in——"I have time right now." And clicked reply.

About ten seconds later, the other party responded: "Then let's do it now. I happen to be near that store."

"Okay, I'll come over from the dormitory. I should be there in a while." Feng Bujue added this "should" because he wasn't very familiar with the UPL's terrain, so he didn't know exactly how long it would take to get there.

"Okay, I'll wait for you in the store (smile)." Tin Foil Hero then replied.

"They even added a 'smile'…" After seeing the other party's reply, Brother Jue twitched the corner of his mouth and muttered, "This guy is quite lively…"