This is a mysterious otherworld.
Vampires, werewolves, technology, potions, monsters, cyborgs, divination, puppets—any terrifying element you can imagine, this world has it.
You must carry a light when you go outside.
Do not wander too far.
Once you step ten meters beyond the door, the darkness outside will devour you.
No matter whether the visitor is human, a ghost, or a stitched-up monster, you must stay calm.
If you do not stay calm, it will turn hostile toward you.
At a shabby wooden desk, Lynn held a feather quill and wrote by the light of an oil lamp.
He was writing the rules he had learned over the two years since crossing into this world.
"Lynn! Time's up! Hang the lamp outside, and get ready to open for business!"
A raspy voice, as though it were chewing on bones, echoed from outside.
Lynn shook his head. The voice belonged to his teacher, the owner of this potion shop, and the one who had saved him two years ago. Lynn worked as an assistant in the potion shop, which was situated in this strange world.
"I'm coming!" Lynn shouted back.
Just then, an icy synthetic voice echoed in his mind.
[Ding! Your teacher, Bloodsaw Madman, has assigned you a task: Open for business, hang the soul lantern at the door. Completion reward: Skeleton Coins x10, Base Experience x5, 100ml of pure human blood.]
Lynn froze.
A system…?
Could it be that, after two years in this world, he had finally awakened a special ability?
However, he didn't immediately look into it, knowing that if he didn’t follow his teacher’s instructions and act quickly, he might die.
Lynn hurriedly left the dim attic.
As he stepped outside, he saw his teacher dragging the severed body of some unknown creature, making his way toward the nearby operating room.
Crimson blood trailed behind, staining the moldy floor with a long streak.
Splat—Splat—
Soon, the sound of a chainsaw began to echo from within the operating room.
The raspy voice came again.
"After opening, gather all the expired potions from yesterday and feed them to the little babies in the backyard. Hurry up."
[Ding! Your teacher, Bloodsaw Madman, has assigned you a task: Organize expired potions and feed them to the little babies in the backyard. Completion reward: Skeleton Coins x10, Little Baby Favorability -10, Household Skill +1.]
Lynn was stunned.
As expected.
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It seemed that the system could turn everything he encountered into a task.
Listening to the chewing sounds from behind, Lynn calmly collected himself.
Creak—Creak—
The old, decaying floorboards groaned beneath his feet.
Lynn made his way to the front hall, picked up an oil lamp from the corner, and wound its mechanical spring. Crimson drops of blood began to fall onto the wick.
Whoosh—
A flickering scarlet flame lit up.
If one listened closely, faint and chilling screams could be heard coming from within the lamp.
Lynn’s expression remained calm as he carefully opened the door.
Outside, an expanse of darkness greeted him, shrouded in a faint mist. Occasionally, eerie laughter could be heard from the shadows.
Lynn remained calm, hanging the oil lamp on the doorpost to illuminate the dilapidated sign next to it.
Bloodsaw Potion Shop
[Ding! You have received: Skeleton Coins x10, Base Experience x5, 100ml of pure human blood.]
Lynn was about to turn and head back into the shop when a low, sinister laugh echoed from the darkness.
"Young man... Good morning! Do you have any useless junk to give this old woman? I'll pay you in return, hehehe."
From the shadows, a hunched old woman emerged, wearing tattered cloth and pulling a cart behind her. She wore a kindly smile on her face.
But Lynn could clearly see that in her hand, she was holding a human skin lantern, and the rusty cart she was pulling was attached to her own hand.
[Ding! The Skin Lantern Scavenger has given you an optional task: Give the "useless junk" to the scavenger. Completion reward: Scavenger Favorability +10, Skeleton Coins +20, Scavenger’s Reward x1.]
Lynn remained calm.
"Sure, wait a moment," he said.
Lynn quickly turned and went back into the shop, grabbing two black bags from the counter.
From the faint odor wafting out of the bags, he could smell a strong, blood-tainted stench. Inside, it seemed something was struggling, emitting low, muffled groans.
Lynn calmly placed the "useless junk" onto the old woman's cart.
"Thank you, young man. You’re such a kind soul," the old woman said with a smile that never faltered.
Slowly, she extended her withered hand, and from her eye sockets, she pulled out two bloody eyeballs.
"Young man, this is your reward from me."
[Ding! You have received: Scavenger Favorability +10, Skeleton Coins +20!]
[Ding! You may choose to accept the scavenger's reward or refuse it. Refusing will result in Scavenger Favorability -50.]
Lynn looked at the two steaming eyeballs and calmly reached out to accept them.
"I’ll take it. Thank you."
The old woman smiled even more brightly, but the empty, hollow sockets where her eyes should have been were unnervingly chilling.
"Good, good!" she croaked.
Then, with the same hollow smile, she slowly disappeared into the darkness, pulling her cart behind her.
[Ding! You have received the Scavenger's reward: a tailor's eyeball x1, a butcher's eyeball x1, Scavenger Favorability +20.]
Lynn remained calm, but inwardly, he let out a breath of relief as he returned to the potion shop.
He knew from his teacher's words that the tailor’s shop made clothes from human skin, and the butcher’s shop sold human flesh. Both shops were located across the street from the potion shop.
The fact that the scavenger had the eyeballs of the two shop owners confirmed a principle of this world that Lynn had concluded:
Never try to offend the walkers of the dark.
Lynn turned, forcing his expression to remain calm.
He gathered several bottles of expired black-red potions from the counter and placed them into his personal potion case before heading to the backyard.
As he passed the operating room, the sounds of cutting and sawing still echoed within.
Lynn knew that it was best not to disturb his teacher at this time.
If he went in, he might be the one lying on the operating table next.
Lynn arrived at the backyard.
Opening the cellar door, a powerful, foul stench instantly hit his face, reminiscent of rotten flesh and waste that had been festering for ages.
Hiss—Hiss—
Strange noises echoed from within the cellar.
Lynn knew that inside the cellar, his teacher’s "little baby" was kept, though no one but his teacher knew what it actually was.
Lynn poured the potions from his case into the cellar.
[Ding! You have received: Skeleton Coins x10, Little Baby Favorability -10, Household Skill +1.]
Roar—
A furious, blood-curdling roar soon came from within the cellar, accompanied by a burst of bloodthirsty scent.
Lynn quickly closed the cellar door.
He let out a sigh of relief.
This was part of his daily routine as an assistant in the potion shop.
The key to staying alive in this place was simple—he had to obey his teacher’s every command without question. Those who disobeyed were quickly dismembered and fed to the little baby.
Lynn steadied his breathing and asked cautiously:
"System?"
And in the next moment, a panel suddenly appeared before Lynn’s eyes.