Dice In The Darkness: Cthulhu Calls

Chapter 73: A Special Interlude of Growth

As soon as KP Cao's words faded, Liu Xing experienced a brief blur before he found himself back in the real world.

"Team Player?" Liu Xing pondered over his newly acquired trait. It was clear that this trait was a double-edged sword. For a support character like himself, it indeed enhanced his importance within a team, allowing access to more team resources. However, when alone, this trait became utterly useless.

Moreover, this trait compelled Liu Xing to put others before himself, to prioritize the team over individual gains. At times, he had to forsake personal benefits for the sake of the team. The semi-compulsory nature of this trait made Liu Xing feel somewhat constrained.

Yet, what intrigued Liu Xing most was whether this "team" referred solely to player teams, or did it include NPCs as well? If NPCs were included, then Liu Xing felt the benefits of this trait would outweigh the drawbacks.

Stretching lazily, Liu Xing began to examine his character card.

Name: Liu Xing

Occupation: Doctor

Education: Graduate

Place of Birth: Rongcheng, Sichuan, China

Gender: Male

Age: 23

Trait: Team Player

Background: An ordinary doctor, Liu Xing became famous in China for helping the police solve numerous unsolved missing persons cases during a vacation in England. He received a substantial reward and media attention. However, during a paid leave, he experienced a supernatural event and adopted a young girl.

Strength: 55

Constitution: 40

Willpower: 80

Luck: 80

Agility: 50

Appearance: 70

Size: 45

Intelligence: 85

Inspiration: 90

Education: 87

Cthulhu Mythos Knowledge: 6

Sanity: 80/80

HP: 8

MP: 16

Damage Bonus: None

Credit Rating: 50+10 (temporary buff from completing the Castle Lord's Hidden Ending, lasting two more Cthulhu RPG Games)

Skills: First Aid 83, Medicine 78, Psychology 71, Psychoanalysis 70, Persuasion 60, Investigation 40, Jump 70, Lockpicking 10, Other Languages: English 22, Driving 50.

Personal Items: Mobile phone, a bottle of family heirloom green tea (2/3 full), candy from Boss Ke, Qingming Rain, Qingming Festival offerings, Qingming oil-paper umbrella.

Relationships: Isabella (20), Chris (50), Nan Xiaoniao (80)

Assets: 500,000

Cash: 45,000+5,000 (professional salary)

Compared to his previous character card, Liu Xing's current one showed little change, as he had not acquired any growth markers. The only notable differences were the 5 points gained in Cthulhu Mythos Knowledge and the change in cash.

Liu Xing, due to his enrollment in English and driving training courses, spent a total of 15,000 cash at Interlude Growth. To his surprise, his salary also arrived, maintaining his cash balance at 50,000.

Had it not been for adopting Nan Xiaoniao, Liu Xing would have spent this cash on matchmaking and marriage, given the powerful effects of a spouse: restoring SAN value, enhancing skill levels, and providing assistance in certain modules.

Now, however, with Nan Xiaoniao as his adopted daughter, Liu Xing receives her benefits on his character card. Before each Interlude Growth, she restores 1d2 SAN value to Liu Xing, randomly increases a skill point, and can join him in special scenarios.

Yet, Nan Xiaoniao also brings a debuff to Liu Xing. If he chooses to engage in matchmaking and marriage during Interlude Growth, the cash required increases by 10+1d10 percentage points, and the asset requirement by 5+1d10 percentage points. More troubling, the previously certain success rate of matchmaking and marriage drops to 80%.

In simple terms, Liu Xing, now a single father with Nan Xiaoniao, faces higher demands and potential failure in matchmaking due to his adopted daughter.

Liu Xing also noticed two special exclusive Interlude Growths in Nan Xiaoniao's notes. The first, "Three Years Minimum, Death Penalty at Most," resets his credit to zero, with a 50% chance of direct elimination and a 50% chance of triggering a special module – Prison Storm.

The second option, "Terminating the Adoption," permanently costs 10 credit points and severs his relationship with Nan Xiaoniao, reducing her favorability towards him to zero.

Upon seeing these exclusive options, Liu Xing shivered and quickly closed the character card interface, keen to avoid accidentally triggering these special options, especially the first.

Of course, Liu Xing didn't forget to select the right Interlude Growth, vital for enhancing his character card.

First, he chose "Joining an Island Nation Language Class." Given that the real-world Cthulhu RPG Game modules primarily focus on the West and Island Nations, acquiring the skills "Other Language: English" and "Other Language: Island Nation Language" before advancing to the next area is undoubtedly beneficial.

The Island Nation Language Class costs 8,000 cash, granting the skill "Other Language: Island Nation Language" with a 5d8 value and a 15% accident rate.

Liu Xing's second Interlude Growth choice was "Physical Training," a small cash expenditure to enhance physical fitness. Currently, his physical condition barely meets human standards in the Cthulhu Mythos role-playing world, not even qualifying as cannon fodder. Hence, improving physical fitness is essential for survival.

Physical Training costs 2,000 cash, enhancing 1d6 attribute points randomly distributed across strength, agility, constitution, and size, with a 20% accident rate.

For the final Interlude Growth, Liu Xing found a unique and interesting option: "Becoming an Online Novel Author." This grants him a side job as an online novel writer.

The most intriguing part is that this side job is categorized into four levels: Street Writer, Ordinary Author, Advanced Author, and Master Author. Except for the lowest level, the other three provide different amounts of additional income and credit values.

Becoming an Online Novel Author costs 500 cash, granting the side job of an online novel writer with a 60% chance of becoming a Street Writer, a 35% chance of being an Ordinary Author, a 4% chance of becoming an Advanced Author, and a 1% chance of being a Master Author.