---
Lin Hao stood in the faculty lounge, his heart pounding like a drum in a Sichuan spice festival. The *Crimson Fang Core*, *Abyssal Orb*, and *Wraith Crown Shard* in his *Reinforced Apron*'s hidden pocket pulsed like they were trying to start a rave, their eerie glow lighting up the room. Professor Liang, the alchemy teacher turned traitor, was tied up with *Thread of Fate* bindings, glaring at Squad Firestorm like he could still summon a monster surge. The open vault revealed a holographic map of New Shanghai's underground, with a red marker screaming "Final Surge Point." The lounge's screens flashed red, showing a Level 20 *Abyssal Titan* stirring—a colossal beast that made Lin Hao's Level 15 stats feel like a paper towel against a tsunami. It was 2:47 AM, June 8, 2045, and the Global College Combat Exams in three months felt like a distant dream compared to this nightmare.
[Sassy, a Level 20 titan?!] Lin Hao thought, gripping his glowing wok so tightly his knuckles whitened. [My new skill better make a sword sharp enough to cut through that thing!]
[Hidden Quest Update: Professor Liang was a pawn. The true mastermind is planning the final surge at the marked point, set for tonight. Next step: Stop the surge at the underground site. Reward: 1,000 EXP, Legendary Weapon. Penalty: City-Wide Apocalypse,] Sassy, his snarky [System], replied. [That titan's got 5,000 HP and Abyssal Energy out the wazoo. Use Forge of the World (Level 1) to craft something epic, and mix Thread of Fate (Level 4), Seasoning Slash (Level 4), and Cook the World in a Pot (Level 4) flexibly. You're a World Weaver, Spatula Boy—get chaotic!]
Lin Hao's eyes widened. "Forge of the World? I'm a cook, not a blacksmith!" But the squad was staring at him, expecting miracles. Su Yan's *Blaze Sorceress* aura flared, her fireballs ready. Wang Lei's *Ironclad Knight* shield gleamed, Zhou Mei's *Wind Archer* bow was nocked, and Liu Tao's *Shadow Assassin* daggers glinted. The tied-up Liang smirked, muttering, "You're too late, Weaver."
Su Yan kicked Liang's chair, silencing him. "Spatula Boy, what's the plan? That titan's waking up, and I'm not losing New Shanghai before the exams."
Lin Hao glanced at the map. The surge point was deep underground, below the school's reactor core. "We hit the surge point, stop the mastermind, and deal with the titan. But first, I need to craft something." He activated *Forge of the World (Level 1)*, a glowing anvil materializing beside his wok. The air shimmered, and his inventory opened, displaying his loot: *Minotaur Horn*, *Tainted Abyssal Core*, *Glowing Leather Hide*, *Bookworm Scales*, and *Spectral Blade Shard*.
"Let's make a weapon," Lin Hao muttered, tossing the *Minotaur Horn* and *Tainted Abyssal Core* onto the anvil. He wove *Thread of Fate (Level 4)* into the mix, stitching the materials with glowing threads. The anvil sparked, producing a *Spiked Abyssal Wok*—a massive, reinforced wok with jagged edges and a fiery aura, perfect for cooking and clobbering.
[Weapon Crafted: Spiked Abyssal Wok – +30% melee damage, +20% skill synergy. Special Effect: Abyssal Disruption – 10% chance to weaken enemy defenses.]
"Sassy, this is awesome!" Lin Hao grinned, hefting his new weapon. The squad gaped.
Zhou Mei laughed. "You made a *battle wok*? I love you, Spatula Boy."
Wang Lei grunted. "Better not break."
Su Yan smirked. "Let's move. That titan's not waiting."
The squad sprinted to the surge point, guided by the map. The tunnel descended into a cavernous chamber, its walls pulsing with Abyssal Energy. A massive *Abyssal Core*—ten times larger than the last—sat on a pedestal, guarded by the *Abyssal Titan*, a hulking beast with molten armor and eyes like black holes. Above it, a cloaked figure stood—the true mastermind, their face still hidden, holding a glowing staff.
"Weaver," the figure's voice boomed. "You're persistent, but the surge is now." They raised their staff, and the titan roared, shaking the cavern.
[Sassy: That titan's a tank, and the mastermind's Level 18. Disrupt the core to weaken the titan, and use your Spiked Abyssal Wok to smack some sense into them.]
Lin Hao dodged a molten fist, shouting, "Squad, keep the titan busy! I'll hit the core!" He activated *Thread of Fate*, weaving a golden net around the titan's legs, slowing it.
[Debuff applied: Abyssal Titan movement speed reduced by 50% for 25 seconds!]
Su Yan's fireballs blasted the titan's armor, Wang Lei's shield blocked its fists, Zhou Mei's arrows targeted its eyes, and Liu Tao's daggers sliced its joints. Lin Hao sprinted to the core, activating *Cook the World in a Pot (Level 4)*. He tossed in a *Spectral Blade Shard*, *Bookworm Scales*, and *Glimmering Spice Jar*, weaving *Thread of Fate* into the mix. The wok produced *Abyssal Core Chaos Curry*—a glowing, spicy curry that smelled like a volcanic buffet.
He poured the curry over the core, and it sizzled, disrupting the energy flow. The titan roared, its HP dropping by 1,000 as its armor weakened. The squad's wounds healed by 60%, and their attacks glowed brighter.
[Core disruption at 40%! Damage dealt: 1,000 HP to Abyssal Titan! Squad HP restored by 60%.]
The mastermind snarled, firing a beam from their staff. Lin Hao dodged, using *Seasoning Slash (Level 4)* to hurl a *Dragonfire Pepper* cloud at their face, blinding them.
[Debuff applied: Spicy Blindness – Mastermind's accuracy reduced by 70% for 25 seconds.]
"Keep it up!" Su Yan shouted, her fireballs now melting the titan's armor. Lin Hao swung his *Spiked Abyssal Wok*, smacking the core with a *clang* that triggered its Abyssal Disruption effect, weakening the titan further.
[Core disruption at 80%! Titan defense reduced by 20%!]
The mastermind recovered, raising their staff, but Lin Hao used *Forge of the World*, combining *Glowing Leather Hide* and *Mystic Herb Bundle* to craft a *Spiced Shield Apron*—a glowing apron that boosted his defense by 25%. He tanked a staff beam, then used *Thread of Fate* to bind the mastermind's arms, slowing their attacks.
The squad went all-in, their attacks shredding the titan's HP to 1,500. Lin Hao made one last move, combining *Cook the World* and *Seasoning Slash* to create *Titan-Slaying Spice Bomb*—a fiery orb that exploded on the core, shutting it down and dealing 1,600 HP damage to the titan. The beast collapsed, dropping a *Titan Heart Shard* and *Abyssal Alloy*.
[Core disabled! Enemy defeated! 1,000 EXP gained! Level Up! Lin Hao is now Level 16! Skill Upgraded: Forge of the World (Level 2) – Crafting speed increased by 20%, material efficiency improved.]
The mastermind vanished into a rift, their voice echoing: "This isn't over, Weaver!" The cavern went silent, and the squad panted, surrounded by loot and curry steam. X posts from students watching via hacked drones exploded with #SpatulaHeroSavesCityAgain.
Su Yan grabbed Lin Hao's shoulder. "You're a menace, Spatula Boy. What's with these orbs?"
Lin Hao sighed, showing the *Titan Heart Shard*. "They're tied to the surge. The mastermind's still out there."
Zhou Mei whistled. "You're in deep."
Wang Lei grunted. "Don't die. We need that wok."
Liu Tao nodded. "Find them. Now."
---
**Cliffhanger**:
Back in his dorm, Lin Hao's [System] pinged. [Hidden Quest Update: The mastermind escaped, but the Titan Heart Shard holds their energy signature. Next step: Track them to the city's edge. Warning: A Level 22 Abyssal Behemoth is guarding their hideout.] His phone buzzed with an X message from an unknown sender: "Weaver, you stopped the surge, but the war begins tomorrow." A shadow loomed outside, and a roar shook the campus. Lin Hao gripped his *Spiked Abyssal Wok*, heart pounding. "Sassy, I'm gonna need a bigger recipe!"
[You've got this, Spatula Boy. Time to forge a legend.]
---