Infinity, The Arcade Age-Chapter 325: Back to Where the Dream Began

"Alright, this is far enough. Old man, it's been a pleasure working with you. Farewell."

On the road, Qin Ming suddenly called for the car to stop. Holding the gold seal, he quickly pushed open the door and got out.

Seeing this, the seventy-something-year-old driver's expression changed, and he hurriedly reached out to stop him.

"But you haven't paid for the ride yet! The fare for the round trip!"

Qin Ming was momentarily stunned. After a moment of hesitation, he suddenly pointed into the car.

"That bag of stuff is yours now. Consider it payment. Farewell."

"Hey? Wait! I told you I don't accept souvenirs! That stuff isn't worth anything! Hey! You still owe me the fare! Hey!"

Looking at the backpack full of cultural relics in the back seat, the old driver, who wasn't buying it, shouted desperately. Unfortunately, Qin Ming showed no intention of stopping.

With a few leaps, Qin Ming quickly disappeared into the woods, leaving the old driver shaking his head and sighing.

Having made another fruitless trip, the old driver reluctantly started the car and drove off. As he drove, he couldn't stop lamenting the declining morals of society, where people even skipped out on taxi fares.

What good was a pile of junk to him? Could he even exchange these souvenirs for money?

Just as the old driver was lamenting, the car's radio suddenly broadcast a news alert.

"Attention, citizens! Attention, citizens! A serious robbery has just occurred in our city. The local museum was robbed, with a total of 23 cultural relics stolen, valued at 2.8 billion yen. The suspect was wearing a black jacket, a makeshift mask made from a tank top, and carrying a pink water gun. Anyone who spots the suspect, please notify the police immediately..."

Screech!

The sound of tires screeching filled the air as the old driver slammed on the brakes, his eyes wide with shock.

He turned to look at the backpack full of relics in the back seat, then recalled Qin Ming's earlier appearance.

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Realizing that the two matched perfectly, the old driver's face turned pale.

Quickly understanding that what he had witnessed wasn't some cosplay but an actual robbery, he glanced at the backpack full of stolen goods.

Without hesitation, he slammed his foot on the gas, turning the car around and speeding off in the opposite direction of the police station!

What? Return the relics? He and his "partner" had earned those relics through their own efforts! Why should he return them? Did they think he worked for free?

Amidst his cheers, the old driver quickly disappeared down the highway.

Meanwhile, Qin Ming, who had climbed back up to the fourth floor through the window, used his white flames to disintegrate his disguise and the water gun, destroying all evidence of his crime.

After changing into a fresh set of clothes, he finally let out a sigh of relief.

Sitting on the sofa, he reviewed the entire operation in his mind, confirming that no part of the plan had gone wrong and that no one had seen his real face. He pulled the cotton out of his mouth, and his voice returned to normal.

Then, rubbing his face, he pulled out the spoils of his heist—the King of Na Gold Seal!

Holding the gold seal in one hand and the Space Certification Document in the other, Qin Ming's eyes filled with determination.

Without hesitation, he fused the two items together.

In the next moment, as a flash of light illuminated the room, a unique piece of equipment—possibly one of a kind in the entire space—appeared in Qin Ming's hands.

Name: King of Na Gold Seal (Real World)

Category: Special Equipment (Dim Gold Quality)

Effect: The holder of this item will start each mission world with a special identity that grants certain privileges.

Description: I am the King of Na! What? Never heard of me? Have you heard of Emperor Guangwu of Han? I'm his vassal! Officially recognized! This is the proof!

Playing with the gold seal in his hands, Qin Ming's expression was one of astonishment.

To be honest, the seal's grade didn't surprise him. After all, it was a cultural relic, so a gold quality rating was expected.

But the special effect of this equipment far exceeded Qin Ming's expectations.

It didn't enhance attributes or boost combat power. Instead, it elevated Qin Ming's starting identity in mission worlds.

Tsk! If I had known this thing had such a unique effect, I would've gone after a more advanced seal! The effect would've been even stronger!

If he could get his hands on the legendary Imperial Jade Seal, wouldn't he start every mission as the protagonist?

Wiping the gold seal clean, Qin Ming quickly packed it away and booked a return flight.

For safety's sake, he decided to leave the scene of the crime as soon as possible.

Although Qin Ming felt his operation had been flawless, there was no telling if some tiny clue might lead someone to him.

So, he had to leave. He didn't believe they could track him all the way to his home.

Poor old driver, though. He didn't know he'd been dragged into this mess, forced to become an accomplice in the robbery. Who knew what would happen to him if he got caught?

At his age, he probably wouldn't be thrown in jail, right? If they did lock him up, it wouldn't be a punishment—it'd be like giving him a retirement home.

After quickly booking his ticket, Qin Ming boarded the plane early the next morning.

Sitting in his seat, he finally relaxed.

After happily scanning his surroundings, Qin Ming's smile suddenly froze. He sat up straight, his expression stiff as he stared ahead.

Because sitting across from him, in the seat to his left, was a familiar old man...

The old driver, who had buried all the stolen relics after returning home, had abandoned his car and his house. He had also booked an international flight and was now sitting on the same plane as Qin Ming, preparing to flee!

The old driver, now a fugitive, looked just as stiff as Qin Ming. Noticing him, Qin Ming's expression mirrored the old man's.

The two of them sat in silence, staring straight ahead, as the plane quickly returned to China.

Then, they ended up on the same bus...

Several hours later, their strange "fate" finally ran its course. During a transfer, they parted ways for good.

Returning to his temporary residence, Qin Ming let out a long sigh and collapsed onto the sofa, feeling utterly drained.

During the journey back, Qin Ming had been genuinely afraid that the old man would continue to follow him—or even follow him all the way home!

Thankfully, the old man hadn't, or Qin Ming would've had to consider how to deal with a corpse in the real world.

Taking out the gold seal to examine it again, Qin Ming, now fully relaxed after returning to his safe haven, immediately entered the Nightmare Space. He wanted to share his joy with Kasamoto Eri and Sun Ji.

From now on, he was a man of status!

In the blink of an eye, the break was over, and a new round of missions was about to begin.

Fully armed, with a revolver at his waist and wearing his newly acquired bulletproof suit, Qin Ming stood in the room, quietly waiting.

In his other hand, he played with his new special equipment: the gold seal.

As the clock struck midnight, Qin Ming's body began to glow. In an instant, he disappeared, once again entering a mission world.

And this time, the world was called...

This World: Cadillacs and Dinosaurs

Mission Difficulty: C-rank

Number of Participants: 5

Main Mission: Kill a boss-level figure from the poacher organization.

Mission Reward: 5,000 points, 5 free attribute points.

Mission Failure Penalty: 1,000 points.

Optional Mission: Enter the fourth stage early.

Mission Reward: 5,000 points, 5 free attribute points.

Mission Failure Penalty: None

World Introduction: After destroying the vanguard of the poacher organization, Hannah, Jack, and the others are just beginning their war against the poachers...

(Hint 1: This world is in peaceful mode.)

(Hint 2: The maximum stay time for this mission is 30 days.)

As Qin Ming opened his eyes, he found himself in a very familiar world.

Looking at the modern buildings around him, he couldn't help but sigh, a look of nostalgia on his face.

Cadillacs and Dinosaurs—his rookie mission world, the place where he had earned his first bucket of gold.

The pistol he had obtained from his first boss kill, Vice-Terhune, was still hanging at his waist and remained one of his primary pieces of equipment.

Who would've thought that after all this time, he'd be back here?

Taking a deep breath and reflecting on life, Qin Ming pushed open the door and strode outside.

As he walked, he checked his current status.

The effect of the special equipment, the gold seal, had already taken effect. This time, he wasn't entering the world as an ordinary person but with a certain level of status.

Thanks to his title ability, his starting identity was still aligned with the protagonist's faction.

He had fully joined the nature conservation organization as a mid-level executive, making him a colleague of his old friend, Hannah.

Of course, in terms of status, he still couldn't compare to Hannah, who was a professional diplomat.

This time, his title mission was also activated upon entry, with three tasks as usual.

Title Mission 1: The Best Way to Protect Dinosaurs (Kill 25 elite poachers)

Reward: Green Title - Radicalist (Ignore 10 points of defense from humanoid creatures.)

Title Mission 2: Beyond Friendship (Reach 600 favorability with a dinosaur.)

Reward: Green Title - Dinosaur Rider (Can turn this dinosaur into a pet and take it out of the mission world.)

Title Mission 3: Release Master (Do not kill any creatures during this mission.)

Reward: Blue Title - Pacifist (Reduce damage taken by 50% if the attacker has not been harmed by you.)

Looking at these three title missions, Qin Ming's expression turned strange.

Since becoming an intermediate adventurer, he had noticed that title missions rarely directly increased basic attributes anymore. Instead, they offered various bizarre effects.

These three titles were no exception, each with increasingly peculiar effects.

One targeted humans specifically, another involved forming a cross-species romantic relationship with a dinosaur, and the last one was all about turning the other cheek.

If you said the effects were weak, these three titles weren't bad—at least they were more useful than the attribute-boosting titles in the lower-tier zones.

But if you said they were strong...

Looking at the second title mission, Qin Ming subconsciously scratched his head. His mind involuntarily conjured up an image of a dinosaur lady sharing his bed in the future, causing him to shudder.

Sure, he had fantasized about being a dragon rider when he was a kid, but not this kind of riding!

If he actually completed this mission, even Xu Xian would have to call him a legend!

(End of Chapter)