Chapter 15

And then, in an instant, the box stopped shaking, its contents revealed in a burst of clarity.

[You have acquired a Perfect Tree Branch]

The words stared back at me, a cruel joke in the face of my desperation. I felt a surge of frustration and disappointment, the weight of my expectations crushing me.

I took the branch out of my inventory, its flimsy form a pitiful reminder of my failure. With a snarl of disgust, I threw it aside, the branch clattering to the ground with a hollow thud. “Damn it!” I cursed, the words exploding from my lips in a burst of anger.

Frustrated and defeated, I pressed the draw button again, the soft click of the screen a stark contrast to the turmoil that churned within me. The question mark box shook once more, its contents a mystery waiting to be revealed.

And then, in a burst of light, the box stopped shaking, its contents revealed in all their glory.

[You have acquired a 24K 15 grams Gold Ring]

The words stared back at me, a glimmer of hope in the darkness. I felt a spark of excitement, the promise of a new beginning beckoning me forward.

A sudden spark of excitement ignited within me, and I let out a startled exclamation. “Oh?!”

My eyes widened as I carefully retrieved the gold ring from its resting place. The crude shape seemed almost incongruous with the unmistakable sheen of gold that radiated from it.

I couldn’t help but wonder if the app was playing tricks on me, but for now, I was willing to take its assessment at face value.

The thought of selling the ring flashed through my mind, and I weighed the pros and cons. “I should sell this,” I muttered to myself, already mentally calculating the potential profit.

Curiosity getting the better of me, I decided to try the ring on. I slid it onto my finger, feeling the cool metal against my skin, but it didn’t take long for me to realize that I wasn’t exactly fond of accessories.

They always seemed to feel cumbersome, restrictive, and I quickly removed the ring, setting it aside once more.

As I continued to rummage through my collection, my eyes landed on a small vial with an intriguing label.

[Growth Potion]

[Drinking it will increase your height by 1cm.]

A surge of excitement coursed through me, and I couldn’t help but exclaim, “That’s it! This is what you should give!”

The prospect of finally breaching the 180 cm barrier was almost too enticing to resist.

At 179.2 cm, my current height was hardly short, but it had always seemed like an insurmountable hurdle stood between me and that elusive 180 cm mark. The growth potion, however, promised to change all that.

Without hesitation, I carefully retrieved the vial and, with a sense of anticipation, gulped down the contents. The liquid slid smoothly down my throat, leaving behind a faint aftertaste and a sense of hope that I might finally achieve the height I had always desired.

I let out a disgruntled sigh as the bitter taste assaulted my senses. “Ugh, this is awful,” I muttered, but a nagging voice in the back of my mind chimed in, “But they say bitter things are good for you, right?” I tried to convince myself, though the sour expression on my face betrayed my skepticism.