Chapter 2: The Bone Ring
Stirling touched his forehead, startled to discover a hard object on his finger—a small bone ring. It is likely he picked it up during his fight underwater in the cave. Somehow, it ended up on his left ring finger. The ring was ancient. Its pale surface had a faint yellowish hue. After a long submersion, it achieved a flawless blend with Stirling's skin. In the darkness, it emitted a faint white glow, reminiscent of a will-o'-the-wisp.
Stirling examined the ring with great attention to detail. On its front was an indistinct yet imposing square-shaped human face. Beneath it was a single inscribed word. On the back was a short line of script. It was in an old style so strange that even Stirling, a PHD archaeology, couldn't recognize it. The band featured intricate engravings of small patterns and runes. It gave off a sense of deep mystery.
He examined the carved face with great attention to detail. The eyes looked deep and shadowy. In one moment, the inscribed characters seemed to shift, like tadpoles in water. A sense of dizzy filled Stirling. As he peered into the eyes, he questioned whether he was hallucinating. Then the characters sped up, mixing with soft hisses and rushing into his mind.
Stirling unprepared. He clenched his teeth, his eyes turning red. His hands gripped the bedsheets with force, and sweat dripped from his brow. He was in intense pain but stayed silent. He didn't want to alert the two elders nearby.
At that moment, a vivid vision unfolded before his eyes—an image of the fall of the gods in ancient times.
Billions of years ago, deities and humans lived together in harmony in this universe. Out of thousands of deities, three are the most powerful: the Creator, the Destroyer, and the Maintainer. Their power is equal to each other, so they co-founded the parliament of the Gods, where they took turns ruling. But undercurrents simmer within this triumvirate. The Destroyer plotted to monopolize power. He used his time in power to urge his followers to join forces with outer demons. This betray led to the War of the Deities. In this harsh conflict, the sky fell, the earth cracked, the deities fell one by one; the three supreme Gods were not exempt at the end. Even after peace returned, the curse brought on by the gods' fall cast the world into an ominous place. But in the legend, the Creator crafted a ring from his finger bone in his last moments. This ring was called Hope because it carries a part of his divine power and a blessing.
The scenes in his vision faded when he struggled to tear his gaze away from the face carved on the ring. They came back as soon as he turned it back on.
An idea jumped and then made him frown. Could this be the Hope ring?
And using it means sacrificing one's own life? What kind of magical artifact demands such a price? This is no mere ring—it is a life-draining one.
Feeling unsettled, Stirling posed a new question: "How much life do I have remaining?"
He tried to focus inward, but this time, no matter how hard he concentrated, nothing came to mind.
After a dozen minutes of effort, Stirling saw nothing. Disappointed, he shifted his attention elsewhere.
Bench.
[This item consumes lifespan for enhancement. The process will take three days. Proceed with enhancing?]
Earth wall.
[This item consumes lifespan for enhancement. The process will take 20 days. Proceed with enhancing?]
Broken bed plank.
[This item consumes life force for enhancement. The process will take 1 day. Proceed with enhancing?]
"Let's try enhancing the broken bed plank for one day."
He affirmed with a quiet nod.
"Yes."
After Stirling enhanced it, he saw a white light from the wooden board. At the same moment, a new prompt appeared.
[Enhancement Successful, Remaining Lifespan: 8 years and 32 days]
"Damn it! What the hell! I'm in my early twenties. How come I only have eight years left to live?!"
Stirling was so startled by this message that he almost jumped out of bed. Also, the magic ring diminished the joy he had felt.
"Something's wrong. Even if I were seriously injured, I wouldn't have such a short lifespan."
Stirling got up and sat on the bed board, his mind racing. He remembered the dried meat and muddy water that the old couple had fed him over the past few days.
"Could the problem be with these foods?"
"It's not useful to think about this now. Let's look at the plank first."
Stirling took a deep breath and then looked at the reinforced wooden board.
The old, cracked wooden board looked brand new. It had a thin layer of red oil varnish, which made it seem clashing on the worn wooden bed.
Brand-new redwood boards
A brilliant piece of rosewood has a red oil on its surface. This oil repels mosquitoes and insects, making it top-class!
"It was effective!" And not only did its appearance change, but it was even coated with anti-corrosive red oil!"
Stirling couldn't believe his eyes. He exclaimed in shock that the reinforcement was outrageous. It was no longer about fixing the wood. It had completely changed inside.
Stirling thought about this and moved his eyes over own body and limbs. After a few minutes, he realized nothing had changed since the day before. At that moment, he felt pity.
Stirling had intended to strengthen and repair his body, but it didn't work. Sighing, he then pushed the conspicuous red oil board into the gap between the wooden bed and the wall.
Stirling lay back on the wooden bed and thought about what to do next after hiding the plank.
This ring can enhance anything once without adhering to any fixed rules.
This old couple definitely has ill intentions toward me. I need to figure out a way to get rid of them as soon as possible.
Besides, lifespan is also a very urgent issue. According to my current situation, I'm afraid I can't afford several enhancements. Yet, if this lifespan is consumable, it should also be addable.
Finally, discover the reason people cannot go outside at night.
Stirling reviewed his current situation and outlined a series of steps in his mind.
"How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time." This was a phrase his father often repeated.
The first rays of sunlight peeked through the cracks in the old wall. It marked the start of a new day and the couple's imminent arrival.
As he expected, a soft shuffling sound came near the wooden door, then a gentle knock followed.
"Mr. Stirling, it's time to get up and have breakfast."
A hoarse voice came from outside the door, casting a shadow of unease over the otherwise bright room.
Without hesitation, Stirling answered, "I am coming."
Shortly afterward, he joined the old couple at the worn wooden table for breakfast.
"Mr. Stirling, you need more food to heal the wound."
Old Larry pushed the black bread on the worn wooden plate over and signaled Stirling to devour it.
After last night, Stirling thought something was off with the food Old Man Larry gave him every day. His eyelids twitched. He spoke with deliberate pauses.
"Mr. Larry, I've eaten your food these past few days, giving nothing back. This is unfair. It makes my conscience uneasy." Then he pushed the wooden plate back toward old Larry.
Larry, who had been smiling, paused for a moment, surprised by a lot. Yet, he regained his composure in a moment and replied.
"Come on, Stirling, we have small appetites, so please eat."
As he spoke, Old Larry fixed his gaze on Stirling. Stirling now feels sure of the couple's bad intentions. He knows it is not right to refuse any longer. He took the bread and chewed it, tasting nothing.
Watching Stirling eat made the old man, Larry, smile even wider. His dry wrinkles stood out more on his face.
Stirling unexpectedly asked, "Mr. Larry, I heard screams outside last night. What happened?"
Old Larry and the old woman exchanged glances. The old woman then spoke with a blank expression, "Didn't you sleep last night?"
"I did, but screaming woke me," Stirling said with a wry smile.
"Haha, you might be hallucinating."
Old Larry shook his head.
"Oh, hope so."
Stirling said, waving his arm, and added, "By the way, thanks a lot for your care these days. My injury is almost healed. I'm going to leave in a few days."
However, the old lady, who had been calm, rose to her feet with a sudden movement. Her face turned fierce. She grabbed Stirling's arms with both hands and roared, "You want to leave! Where are you going?! Where?!"
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