Apocalypse Gachapon

This reward didn’t specify its criteria—perhaps the quality was the same for everyone who passed the trial?

Ye Zhongming glanced at the other factions. Aside from Mechanical Genius, who had stored his reward inside a combat puppet (making it invisible), the others had likely opened theirs long ago. Now, they were all watching Cloud Peak.

The Cloud Peak King made no attempt to hide it, opening the box directly.

There was no radiant glow, no lingering fragrance—just a men’s top inside.

If not for the elegant design of both the box and the garment, it could easily have been mistaken for a storage container.

As Ye Zhongming lifted the top from the box, he received a prompt.

“Monk’s Robe.”

Since he had taken it out, the other factions could now see it. Many let out murmurs of surprise.

Not because the top was too good, but because it was far too mediocre.

Grey-grade? This was bottom-tier equipment. Even if Cloud Peak Mountain Villa had passed the trial last, did they really deserve only a grey-grade item?

The wheel space would never normally give a grey-grade gear. Ye Zhongming had seen something similar before—the Bloodstepping Boots.

Back then, the Bloodstepping Boots had been a prototype obtained from a Gate of Sacrifice’s treasure chest. It required materials to be added before finalizing its form.

Ye Zhongming had infused it with a Cloud-Foal’s hoof, a Lizard-Man’s tail, and the most valuable Golden Cloth, transforming the boots into gold-grade gear. Even now, he still wore them, frequently relying on their abilities.

Unlike the shocked and disbelieving onlookers, Ye Zhongming actually found this item quite promising.

Seeing no immediate changes around him, and unsure when the next trial would begin, he ordered his subordinates to inspect the energy dome for anything noteworthy. Meanwhile, he retreated into the group, searching his spatial equipment for materials.

Even though all factions were sealed in their own spaces for now, an inevitable “great battle” loomed ahead. Any extra strength would be invaluable.

After all, Mechanical Genius’s earlier display of combat power had left the Cloud Peak King deeply wary.

Back then, the materials infused into the Bloodstepping Boots had perfectly matched its nature as footwear. This time, Ye Zhongming wouldn’t recklessly add just anything.

The prompt indicated that five materials could be inserted.

After some thought, he first tested Ghost Metal and the scarce Ocean Drill Gold, but the system rejected them as “incompatible with the equipment’s attributes.”

Abandoning that idea, he pulled out a few other items.

The first was a beast hide—taken from a level nine Human Bear, specifically the most intact, most defensive section from the center of its back.

This was level nine material, far superior to the Cloud-Hoof foal or Lizard-Man parts used on the boots.

The result proved the advantage of high-tier materials. After inserting the Human Bear hide, the grey-tier Monk’s Robe instantly jumped to green-grade!

Ye Zhongming’s eyes gleamed.

Not because the green-tier surprised him, but because this equipment’s potential seemed astonishingly high.

He couldn’t wait.

The second material was Snow Wolf King’s fur.

There wasn’t much left—the battle against this level nine creature had been brutal, causing heavy losses.

But as a natural part of its pelt, it offered excellent defense, making it a likely fit.

Sure enough, after inserting the sleek silver fur, the robe absorbed it completely.

The green glow faded, replaced by blue light.

Ye Zhongming frowned.

After two materials, his initial excitement had cooled into dissatisfaction.

Only one grade up?

Both materials were level nine, yet it only reached blue-grade?

His earlier enthusiasm dimmed.

Since two level-nine materials had only pushed it to blue, he grew even more cautious about the third.

Just then, the Mountain King Wheel in front of the seven factions began rotating. The faint mist obscuring its surface gradually dissipated.

The final trial was about to begin.

“What is this?!”

Many gasped upon seeing the disk’s surface.

“A 3D wheel?!”

Wu Xiu’s jaw dropped.

After nearly six years in the apocalypse, everyone had seen all kinds of wheels—standard, class-specific, special, even trial-based ones like this.

But all had been flat, two-dimensional.

The Mountain King Wheel, however, was three-dimensional—or rather, it defied conventional understanding entirely. Its surface was a painting, a self-contained spatial artwork.

From their perspective, the disk’s interior resembled a starry sky, with small bubbles drifting at varying depths.

Inside these bubbles were items, though their details remained unclear.

But the most dazzling object lay at the very center—

A magnificently crafted crown.

Undoubtedly, this was the Mountain King Crown.

“The final trial begins now. In the order of clearing the Death Staircase, the first faction—Great America—select a representative to strike the Soaring Crystal.”

A mechanical voice announced this as a peculiar stone platform materialized before the disk. On it rested two items:

A stone hammer with a curved handle

A wing-shaped crystal, folded together

Great America’s energy dome automatically opened a passage. A burly black man with dreadlocks stepped out.

Clearly, Governor Spade wasn’t about to risk himself without understanding the rules.

Who knew what came after striking the crystal? What if it demanded a sacrifice?

The other factions watched nervously. Since they’d face the same scenario soon, having a demonstration was invaluable.

Even Ye Zhongming paused his material infusion, moving to the dome’s edge to observe.

The black man walked hesitantly, visibly tense. After reaching the platform, he glanced back at Governor Spade, then gripped the stone hammer.

Gritting his teeth, he swung it at the Soaring Crystal!