The Wandering Sovereign inn

First Spin

Chen Lin stood before the golden gachapon machine, heart beating faster than it had during the dungeon fight. The two glowing tickets in his palm felt warm, alive with possibility. Zhao Feng had left only minutes ago, but the brief interaction had already changed something inside the Inn. The air felt a little fresher. The lanterns burned a touch brighter.

He didn't need instructions. The knowledge rose in his mind when he focused on the machine — soft and natural, like instinct.

Insert ticket. Spin. Receive what fate offers.

He slid the first golden ticket into the narrow slot. The machine hummed to life with a deep, resonant sound, like ancient bells echoing across a vast plain. Golden symbols swirled inside the transparent globe. Lights danced across the wooden walls of the Inn.

The spinning slowed… then stopped.

A small wooden box materialized in the dispenser tray below. Chen Lin picked it up carefully and opened the lid.

Inside lay a simple silver ring etched with faint runes. The moment he touched it, understanding flowed into him:

Spatial Storage Ring (Low Grade)

It can hold up to ten cubic meters of items. Bound to the Host.

A quiet smile touched his lips. This was real. Not some dream or hallucination before death. He slipped the ring onto his finger. It fit perfectly and felt cool against his skin. With a thought, the few strange coins Zhao Feng had left behind vanished from the table and appeared inside the ring's invisible space.

One ticket remained.

Chen Lin hesitated only a moment before inserting the second one. The machine spun again, brighter this time. The symbols inside blurred into streaks of gold and silver.

It stopped on a shining emblem.

This time, a soft leather-bound notebook appeared, along with a small vial of shimmering blue liquid.

Inn Management Log – Records guest information, requests, and growth milestones.

Healing Spring Water (Small Vial) – Can heal moderate wounds and restore stamina when consumed or added to the Inn's water source.

Chen Lin drank half the vial immediately. The remaining pain in his side vanished completely. Strength returned to his limbs. He felt lighter, clearer-headed than he had in years.

He opened the notebook. The first page already had an entry:

Guest: Zhao Feng

Satisfaction: Medium-High

Contribution: Minor Essence + Coins

Chen Lin closed the book and looked around. The single room now had two new shelves and a small side door that hadn't been there before. Behind it was a tiny storage area and what looked like the beginning of a kitchen.

The Inn was growing.

He walked to the main door and carefully cracked it open. The dungeon rift outside was still dangerous; he could hear distant fighting and monstrous roars. But he was no longer helpless. With the storage ring, he could gather materials. With the Inn as his base, he had a place to recover and grow.

And revenge, that would come.

Su Mei and Wang Teng thought they had thrown him away like garbage. They had no idea that the "trash" had just received the greatest opportunity in this new chaotic world.

Chen Lin closed the door and returned to the counter. He placed the remaining half of the vial of healing water into a simple basin that appeared on the shelf. The water inside the basin slowly began to multiply, drop by drop. A new gentle feature unlocked in his understanding, the Inn could now offer basic healing drinks to future guests.

He sat down at one of the tables, exhaustion finally catching up to him after everything that had happened. Just as his eyes were growing heavy, the wind bells chimed again.

The door opened.

This time, two figures entered together — a young female cultivator in torn green robes, supporting an older man with a severe leg wound. Both looked exhausted and wary.

The woman's eyes widened when she saw the warm interior. "A sanctuary, here?"

Chen Lin stood up behind the counter, calm on the outside even as excitement and nervousness warred inside him.

"Welcome to the Wandering Sovereign Inn," he said, voice steadier than he expected. "Neutral ground. No fighting. What do you need?"

The woman helped the older man to a table while glancing suspiciously at Chen Lin. "Anything that can stop the bleeding. We'll pay whatever we can."

As Chen Lin moved to prepare the healing water, he felt the Inn watching, almost approving.

This was only the beginning.