Chapter 18: Conduit Chaos and the Weaver’s Wager

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The New Shanghai High campus was a restless beast on July 9, 2045, its glowing runes flickering under a moonless sky. Lin Hao crouched in the shadows near the Global College Combat Exam arena, his heart hammering like a wok on full flame. The *Crimson Fang Core*, *Abyssal Orb*, *Wraith Crown Shard*, *Titan Heart Shard*, *Behemoth Core Shard*, *Overlord's Core*, and *Phantom Blade Shard* in his apron's hidden pocket pulsed with Abyssal Energy, their glow syncing with the Level 30 *Abyssal Dragon* stirring below. The latest X message—"Weaver, your training means nothing. The dragon wakes in six days"—and the arena's tremors confirmed the mastermind's plan to unleash a surge during the exams, now just six days away (July 15, 2045). At Level 25, Lin Hao's *World Weaver* skills needed to outshine the Abyss itself.

[Sassy, sabotage the arena's conduits?] Lin Hao thought, gripping his *Blazing Weaver's Cleaver*, its fiery edge a beacon in the dark. [I'm sneaking into a dragon's lair before exams!]

[Hidden Quest Update: The mastermind's dragon stirs beneath the exam arena. Next step: Sabotage the arena's Abyssal conduits to weaken the dragon's surge. Reward: 2,500 EXP, Legendary Disruption Tool. Penalty: Dragon's Wrath,] Sassy, his sharp-witted [System], replied. [The dragon's got 15,000 HP, and those conduits are guarded by Level 25 Abyssal Sentries—6,000 HP each. Push Forge of the World (Level 3), Thread of Fate (Level 6), Seasoning Slash (Level 6), and Cook the World in a Pot (Level 5) to the edge. You're the Spatula Hero, kid—make it count.]

Lin Hao's eyes narrowed, a spark of defiance igniting. "If they want a surge, I'll serve a shutdown." He'd rallied Squad Firestorm—Su Yan, Wang Lei, Zhou Mei, and Liu Tao—who waited nearby, their silhouettes tense against the arena's glow. Su Yan's *Blaze Sorceress* flames flickered, Wang Lei's *Ironclad Knight* shield gleamed, Zhou Mei's *Wind Archer* bow was nocked, and Liu Tao's *Shadow Assassin* daggers glinted. The arena's underground access hummed with menace, and Lin Hao's orbs pulsed like a warning.

"Spatula Boy," Su Yan whispered, her voice cutting through the night, "you're dragging us into a dragon's den. What's the plan?"

Lin Hao held up the *Phantom Blade Shard*, its glow matching the arena's underbelly. "The conduits feed the dragon's surge. We sabotage them, weaken it, and maybe survive the exams. My orbs are the key—let's move fast."

Zhou Mei smirked, twirling an arrow. "Fast and crazy? My kind of night."

Wang Lei grunted. "Don't get us killed."

Liu Tao's voice slithered from the shadows. "Now."

[Sassy: Sentries ahead, weak to energy disruption. Use Thread of Fate to scout, and Forge something to tilt the odds. The mastermind's watching.]

Lin Hao activated *Thread of Fate (Level 6)*, weaving golden threads into a shimmering web that snaked into the arena's underground tunnels. The threads pulsed, revealing three *Abyssal Sentries*—towering, rune-covered constructs with glowing claws—guarding a network of pulsing conduits.

[Scout successful! Sentries detected. Hit them with chaos, Spatula Boy.]

Lin Hao whispered the intel, then activated *Forge of the World (Level 3)*, summoning a glowing anvil. He tossed in a *Wyrm Scale* and *Abyssal Crystal*, weaving *Thread of Fate* to bind them. The anvil flared, crafting a *Starfire Weaver's Scepter*—a radiant rod that boosted skill range by 40% and had a 35% chance to disrupt Abyssal Energy.

[Item Crafted: Starfire Weaver's Scepter – +40% skill range, +35% skill synergy. Special Effect: Abyssal Surge.]

Lin Hao gripped the scepter, its glow amplifying his skills. He used *Seasoning Slash (Level 6)*, hurling a *Glimmering Spice Jar* cloud at the Sentries, creating a *Disruptive Starfire Storm* that scrambled their runes for 1,200 HP damage each.

[Debuff applied: Rune Scramble – Sentry accuracy reduced by 95% for 50 seconds.]

Su Yan's fireballs melted a Sentry's claw, Wang Lei's shield bashed another, Zhou Mei's arrows pierced their cores, and Liu Tao's daggers sliced their circuits. Lin Hao activated *Cook the World in a Pot (Level 5)*, tossing in a *Behemoth Core Shard*, *Titan Heart Shard*, and *Minotaur Horn*, weaving *Thread of Fate* for potency. The wok produced *Sentry-Smashing Sizzling Soup*—a radiant, spicy broth that surged through the tunnels, dealing 2,200 HP damage per Sentry and binding them with threads.

[Combo Success! Damage dealt: 2,200 HP per Sentry! Debuff applied: Sizzling Bind – Sentries immobile for 25 seconds. Squad HP restored by 40%.]

The Sentries crumbled, dropping *Sentry Cores* and *Abyssal Fragments*. X posts from students hacking arena feeds exploded with #SpatulaHeroBreaksBots. The squad reached the conduit chamber, a vast cavern where glowing pipes fed the dragon's core above. A cloaked figure—the mastermind—hovered near a central conduit, their face still hidden.

"Weaver," their voice echoed, "you're persistent, but the dragon's surge is unstoppable." They raised a staff, summoning a Level 26 *Abyssal Wraith King*—a spectral monarch with a flaming crown and sword.

[Sassy: Wraith King's got 8,000 HP, and the mastermind's Level 22. Disrupt the conduits to weaken them, and protect the squad.]

Lin Hao's heart pounded. "Not today!" He activated *Thread of Fate*, weaving a golden barrier around the squad, boosting defense by 35%. He used *Seasoning Slash* with the *Starfire Weaver's Scepter*, hurling a *Tainted Crystal* cloud at the Wraith King, blinding it with a *Blinding Abyss Tempest* for 1,500 HP damage.

Su Yan's fireballs scorched the Wraith King, Wang Lei's shield blocked its sword, Zhou Mei's arrows pierced its crown, and Liu Tao's daggers sliced its form. Lin Hao swung his *Blazing Weaver's Cleaver*, triggering Abyssal Sever for 1,800 HP damage. He then activated *Cook the World in a Pot*, tossing in a *Wraith Crown Shard*, *Overlord's Core*, and *Glimmering Spice Jar*, weaving *Thread of Fate*. The wok, amplified by the scepter's range, produced *Wraith King-Wrecking Wonton Broth*—a glowing, spicy soup that splashed the conduits, dealing 2,500 HP damage to the Wraith King and disrupting the conduits' energy.

[Combo Success! Damage dealt: 2,500 HP! Debuff applied: Conduit Disruption – Wraith King's energy weakened by 50%. Squad HP restored by 50%.]

The Wraith King dissolved, dropping a *Wraith King's Crest*. The mastermind snarled, firing a staff beam, but Lin Hao's scepter amplified *Thread of Fate*, weaving a golden net that deflected the beam. He used *Forge of the World* to craft a *Starfire Wok Disruptor* from *Sentry Core* and *Abyssal Fragment*, hurling it at the main conduit. It exploded, shutting down the network and knocking the mastermind back.

[Conduits Disabled! 2,500 EXP gained! Level Up! Lin Hao is now Level 27! Skill Upgraded: Cook the World in a Pot (Level 6) – Range increased to 25 meters, healing/damage increased by 30%.]

The mastermind vanished into a rift, their voice echoing: "The dragon will rise, Weaver!" The chamber stabilized, but the dragon's roar above grew louder. Su Yan grabbed Lin Hao. "You're insane, Spatula Boy. Exams are in six days—train harder."

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**Cliffhanger**:

In his dorm, Lin Hao's [System] pinged. [Hidden Quest Update: The conduits are down, but the dragon's surge is imminent. Next step: Uncover the mastermind's identity and prepare for the exam showdown.] An X message read: "Weaver, your orbs fuel the dragon. Surrender them or burn." A tremor shook the arena, and Lin Hao gripped his *Blazing Weaver's Cleaver* and *Starfire Weaver's Scepter*, heart racing. "Sassy, I'm out of tricks!"

[You've got Infinite Craft, Spatula Boy. Find the mastermind before the exams.]

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