At that moment, the trash can, which had witnessed the changes of human civilization, survived the Antimatter Legion's invasion, and faithfully protected its contents all this time, finally felt that its mission was about to be fulfilled.
At this moment, it completed its destiny as a trash can.
Now, it was time for the people in front of it to witness the efforts of this long-standing garbage bin!
Kevin, unfazed, simply did what he always did as a soldier—loyally wielding his weapon and eliminating enemies. But if Elysia had to open a trash can, and if Pei Guang and Stelle were both eager to open it as well, then fine.
If no one else wanted to touch it because it was dirty, then he, Kevin, would step forward and open it himself to see just what was inside!
Kevin opening the trash can didn't particularly bother Pei Guang. After all, only those recognized as "his people" could actually obtain something from it. If someone else opened it and found nothing, it wouldn't affect their ability to try again later.
But what happened next left Pei Guang, Stelle, and March 7th completely frozen. The moment Kevin lifted the lid, a golden light shot straight into the sky.
Pei Guang and Stelle instinctively released Elysia, while March 7th rubbed her eyes, unable to believe what she was seeing.
Not just them—Elysia was utterly dumbfounded as well. What had she just witnessed? A golden light surging out of a trash can? And what else? Two guns lying inside, gleaming with golden radiance?
Beneath the golden light was a pair of technologically advanced twin pistols.
What the hell? Weapons from a trash can?! Elysia felt like she was dreaming.
The entire scene fell into silence. Pei Guang glanced at Kevin, then at the weapons in the trash can.
Kevin, however, remained unfazed. Without thinking too much, he picked up the twin pistols. The moment he held them, a strange sensation washed over him. But he didn't dwell on it. Instead, he simply handed the weapons to Pei Guang.
"Is this what you were looking for?"
Pei Guang took the weapons instinctively and glanced at their attributes.
Weapon: Judgment of Shamash
Forged from the Herrscher Core of the Seventh Herrscher, the Herrscher of Flames, this divine key manifests in twin-pistol form, wielding the power of 'Flames' and boasting unparalleled destructive capabilities.
Note: This weapon can shift forms. Using its ultimate skill consumes 50% of the wielder's maximum HP. If HP is below 60%, the skill cannot be used. The wielder will not die from HP depletion. Skill cooldown: 24 hours.
There was more detailed information, but Pei Guang skimmed over it. It wasn't important.
Stelle, however, was already excitedly looking at him. "Ah Guang! A golden weapon! What are its stats?"
March 7th was just as thrilled. "Yeah! A golden weapon! This is the first time I've seen one drop! And those twin pistols look so cool!"
Pei Guang replied, "This weapon is called Judgment of Shamash. It's apparently made from some kind of Herrscher Core? Seems like it's related to Uncle Yang's old home. It's a really powerful weapon."
Stelle: "How do you know?"
Pei Guang: "Because using it takes away 50% of your max HP, and its skill has a 24-hour cooldown. I'm guessing that since Kevin opened it, its strength is probably balanced for him, but against Voidrangers, it should be more than enough."
At that moment, Stelle fell silent. She looked at the weapon's sleek and imposing design, then pulled out her own War-Flaming Lance to compare. Her lance could channel the power of Preservation to grant defensive blessings. And this weapon? It drained HP.
March 7th remarked, "Losing HP? That means it probably has insanely high damage output, right?"
Pei Guang chuckled. "You're picking up the terminology well, but yeah, based on my experience, weapons that drain HP usually have explosive damage output. Problem is, I can't use it."
Stelle shook her head. "Neither can I. I think my War-Flaming Lance is just fine."
March 7th also shook her head. "If it were a bow, maybe, but guns that drain HP? No thanks."
Pei Guang pondered for a moment. "Yeah, these kinds of weapons are basically suicide weapons. Even though we have healing items, it's not really suited for us. But you know who it is suited for?"
"You opened it, so you should be the one to use it. As for the HP drain, don't worry—I have an unlimited supply of healing items that restore 50% max HP. Go ahead and say it—thank you, Phantylia!"
Stelle: "Thank you, Phantylia!"
March 7th: "Tch, what are you even thanking her for?"
Stelle: "Ah Guang told me to!"
Pei Guang ignored Stelle's antics and handed the Judgment of Shamash to Kevin. "Even though it's a gold-tier weapon, it has a lot of restrictions for us. Since you were the one who pulled it, it proves that you're a loyal member of my team. This weapon suits you better."
As long as the weapon stayed within his own ranks, Pei Guang didn't mind giving it away. Plus, since Kevin was the one who got it, it made perfect sense for him to keep it. He also had a good impression of Kevin, who had received training from Welt and was one of his strongest subordinates. Giving it to him was a solid choice.
He instinctively took the Judgment of Shamash. As soon as he did, Pei Guang rummaged through his storage space and pulled out several 50% max HP recovery items.
For Pei Guang, these items were practically useless. Thanks to Phantylia's generosity, he had an unlimited supply of full-healing items, and the 50% recovery ones were so abundant he couldn't even be bothered to use them.
The only items he really valued were the ones that looked cool or had some unique design. These healing items, which he had scraped off Phantylia from who-knows-where, were endless. Giving some to Kevin was no big deal.
Pei Guang: "These are healing items. If you run out, go ask Herta No. 1 for more. This weapon reduces max HP when used, so I recommend chugging these while using it."
March 7th curiously asked, "Wait, if it drains HP, doesn't that mean there's a risk of dying?"
Pei Guang: "Nah! The description explicitly states that you can't die from the HP drain itself. That's why I'm giving him these so he can mess around with the weapon freely. Oh, and if you run out of meds, just ask me or Herta No. 1. Although you won't die from the drain, if you get hit after losing HP, you'll still die."
Kevin was an elite soldier, and Pei Guang would be pretty heartbroken if he lost him. Since he had plenty of healing items, it didn't hurt to share. And if supplies ran low, he could always ask Bailu for more.
Stelle: "You didn't even ask if he wanted it; you just shoved it at him…"
Pei Guang rolled his eyes. "Look at his face. Does he look like he doesn't want it? His eyes are practically glued to it!"
It was only then that Stelle noticed Kevin had been staring at the Judgment of Shamash the whole time, as if mesmerized by it.
Kevin hesitated. "This… really for me?"
Pei Guang: "Of course! Take it and have fun. Oh, but after you're done playing around, come back and help us open some loot boxes. This whole city is full of them—even if we hit pity rates on every single one, I bet we'll still get some good stuff."
Kevin kept staring at the twin pistols in his hands, still dazed. Elysia, standing beside him, gently said, "Just take it, Kevin. No need to be so formal with Ah Guang. If you really want to repay him, use that weapon to help protect this planet."
Upon hearing that, Kevin nodded firmly. He clutched the twin pistols tightly, and the moment he did, he had an overwhelming urge to test them out.
Seeing him so eager, Pei Guang waved him off. "Go ahead and try out your new toy. Once you're done, come back and help us with the scavenging."
Kevin nodded and walked off toward an empty area to test his weapon. Watching his retreating figure, Stelle mused, "Our luck has been ridiculously good today."
Pei Guang grinned. "That's just the warm-up. Who knows? We might find even more cool stuff later. Besides, none of us can use that weapon properly anyway. Instead of letting it sit in storage, why not strengthen one of our own fighters?"
Pei Guang had played plenty of games where you had to equip NPC units with gear. Sometimes, the soldiers ended up better equipped than the main character. But that wasn't a problem—building an overpowered NPC who could tear through enemies was also part of the fun.
While Pei Guang, Stelle, and March 7th were already thinking about their next loot haul, Elysia was stuck in confusion. She wasn't just bewildered by the fact that a trash can had produced a weapon—no, what really confused her was something else entirely.
Just where had all the garbage gone?
She distinctly remembered that trash can being full of various dried-up scraps and waste. But now, not only was there no trash, but the inside of the can was completely spotless!