Mad Brush Attribute

Diving into Zhugutra's laboratory was like diving headfirst into a vault of legends. To Dawei, it was no different than breaking into a god-tier treasure trove. He was practically drooling as he took in the sight of endless glowing vials, humming crystals, and mysterious reagents stacked across every surface.

But excitement was fleeting.

Reality hit hard:He only had one storage slot.

It was like entering Baoshan (Treasure Mountain) only to realize he had to walk out carrying a single grain of rice.

"So many treasures… and I'm just a beggar with one pocket."

That sense of loss hit harder than the sewer stench. But if he could only take one item, it had to be the best of the best.

He approached the nearest experimental table, scanning rows of shadowy bottles. He tapped a thick, obsidian-black flask. The system responded immediately:

System Prompt:You have discovered an unknown item. Danger rating: Extremely hazardous based on current player stats.

Dawei blinked, startled, then slowly withdrew his hand.

"Yeah... maybe let's not chug death incarnate."

He wasn't here to poison himself. He wanted power—not a death screen.

Shifting his attention to another table filled with more luminous ingredients, his instincts sharpened. He remembered that the darker the item, the more dangerous it was. But the glowing stuff?

That was where the magic happened.

He chuckled darkly to himself.

"Just when I thought I was nerfed for life… the world gives me a turn."

His mobility was trash, his defense barely existed, but he had a whiteboard account, zero expectations, and nothing to lose. He'd hit rock bottom already, so even the worst outcome wouldn't feel that bad.

Suddenly, a mechanical puppet stood in his path—tall, slow, and blocking his way to the table. With his crippled movement speed, going around it would take forever.

That's when Dawei had a flash of inspiration.

He grabbed a random vial of glowing green liquid and chucked it into the nearby Destruction Pool.

ZIIIIIIING—!

"Alarm: Unknown material misplacement. Rerouting operations!"

The mechanical puppet turned without hesitation—and walked straight into the pool.

SPLASH. ZZZZT. POP.

System Prompt:You have caused the death of Mechanical Assistant No. 7. Experience gained: +1200.

Dawei stared in disbelief.

"...It counted as mine?"

He turned slowly to the rest of the lab full of clueless mechs.

"And they're all… free EXP?"

But he quickly reigned in his bloodlust. There'd be time for farming later. Right now, he had a more urgent goal: fix his mobility issue.

One by one, he uncorked the glowing potions, trusting the system prompts more than his eyes.

System Prompt:You have consumed [Lifeforce Extract]. Max HP +30.

"Alright! Now we're cooking."

He reached for the next one:

System Prompt:You have consumed [Earthen Elemental Essence]. Defense +13.Pharmacist Class Info Unlocked.

System Prompt:You have consumed [Abyssal Whale Bile]. Mana +70.Pharmacist Class Info Updated.

System Prompt:You have consumed [Blood of the Count]. Inscriptionist Class Info Unlocked.Potential Spell Paths: Blood Magic / Fire Magic.

Dawei was stunned.The notifications came faster than he could blink. One bottle after another:

[Edward-89 Serum] — Alchemy Class Info Unlocked. Potential to master Transmutation.[Vital Root Solution] — Max HP +50.[Bone Marrow Catalyst] — Passive skill: Regeneration

System Prompt:You have learned passive skill: [Life Recovery].Effect: Regenerate 7% of HP per second.

His jaw dropped.

"I'm drinking my way to greatness."

Who needed grinding when you could chug your character sheet into godhood?

And still—no potion to fix mobility.

The lab table was nearly empty. He was running out of options.

Then—

System Prompt:Player behavior is triggering abnormal lab activity.Continued interference will alert Zhugutra.

Dawei froze mid-chug.

"...Ah. So the party has a time limit."

The floor beneath him pulsed once.A low rumble.

Something had stirred deeper in the lab.

He swallowed the last sip in his bottle and slammed it down like a tavern drunk.

"C'mon, just one mobility buff… that's all I ask…"

Nothing.

No speed. No movement boost.Just max HP, mana, regeneration, and three profession unlocks.

"Okay... that's not nothing. But I'm still crawling around like a possessed slug."

He took a deep breath, shoved the now-empty bottle under the desk, and scanned the lab one last time. If Zhugutra was coming, he had seconds, not minutes.

He had to decide—

Make a break for it now, dragging his heavy, slow self back through the sewers.

Hide and hope for another window once Zhugutra leaves again.

Or go deeper into the lab, banking on one final lucky draw.

Dawei looked toward the far end of the lab—past the rows of machines, past the desks littered with failed experiments.

In the distance, half-obscured behind steam vents and hanging cables…Was that a vault?

"Just one more room…" he whispered.

"Just one more bottle."