The Heart of the Faceless Demon

[Quality: Cursed Item]

[Curse]: Can link with the target's heart, but requires large amounts of fresh blood to sustain it daily.

[Description]: Every part of a Faceless Demon is imbued with a curse, especially their heart. Once you hear your own heartbeat, be wary—it may no longer be your own...

Lynn's eyes widened.

The old woman grinned wickedly. "If you wish for someone to die, think of them as you focus on this heart, then use the most vile methods to torment it. You’ll find great joy in doing so... Hehehe..."

Lynn shuddered.

The old woman surely carried some very... unusual items.

This heart? It looked like a devastating weapon.

But of course, such power must come with a heavy price.

Soon, the old woman began to pull her cart, slowly disappearing into the fog ahead.

Lynn watched her leave, his gaze fixed on the throbbing heart in his hand, a strange gleam in his eyes.

His collection of bizarre curiosities was growing...

But this trade? Absolutely worth it.

The scavenger passed by the small shop every morning, an NPC who would reliably exchange various items.

As the week passed, the monsters arrived with their deliveries. Lynn paid a hefty sum of skeleton coins to restock the store.

And now, the time was near.

His teacher would return tonight, or maybe tomorrow.

Back behind the counter, Lynn waited for his first customer of the day.

Outside, the black mist swirled.

Then—

Knock knock knock!

Lynn’s head snapped up. His professional smile immediately formed on his face. "Welcome..."

The soul flame hanging from the door flickered violently.

Lynn’s pupils contracted.

Such a violent flicker meant the visitor was no ordinary foe.

Outside the door stood a woman in a blood-red evening gown, smiling, her long, wavy hair cascading down her back—one of those women whose gaze alone could drain the very life from you.

"Boss, I see business is booming."

[Blood-Drenched Specter]

[Level]: ???

[Faction]: Chaotic Evil

[Combat Ability]: She’ll hollow you out... piece by piece.

[Description]: A wandering amalgamation of darkness from the twisted underworld. Never be fooled by their alluring appearance, for if you do, a nightmare awaits.

Lynn’s eyes flashed as her character panel appeared before him.

She held a covered plate in her hands, and faint wafts of savory meat reached his nostrils.

Lynn remained on high alert, but his face remained calm as he spoke, "Good day, do you need any treatment today?"

The Blood-Drenched Specter smiled brightly, her crimson lips parting to reveal a row of unnervingly pristine white teeth—a smile that sent an indescribable chill through Lynn.

She tousled her hair seductively and purred, "I’m not in need of treatment. I only just moved to this street this morning, and I thought I’d pay my new neighbors a visit. You wouldn’t... refuse me, would you?"

She ran a finger across her red lips.

[Lynn's SAN: -1]

Lynn knew all too well that in this dark world, the more "normal" a monster looked, the more dangerous it usually was.

And this woman? Her aura was unmistakably sinister.

"Of course not," Lynn replied with his ever-persistent smile, his hand discreetly placing his revolver and the cursed heart within easy reach under the counter.

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"Please come in. The Blood Saw Apothecary welcomes all friendly neighbors."

When dealing with a creature whose level was unclear, the soul lamp outside was nearly useless.

If she truly meant harm, there was no stopping her.

The woman stepped inside, her smile never wavering, her figure impossibly graceful.

Almost immediately, a system prompt echoed in Lynn’s ears.

[Ding! You’ve triggered the quest: Survive.]

[Quest Objective]: Keep your SAN above 0 and prevent the Blood-Drenched Specter’s hostility from reaching 100 for the next 30 minutes.

[Quest Rewards]: 500 Skeleton Coins, 200 Basic Experience, Special Reward +1.

Lynn’s heart skipped a beat.

Of course.

This was no simple visitor.

A "Survive" quest? It felt as dangerous as the night before.

He knew that if he had done nothing last night, the Head Hunter would have devoured everyone in Soul Alley.

This woman, however, didn’t seem like a root-level monster, but if she wanted him dead... she could probably do it easily.

"Boss, you don’t look like you’re from around here," the woman said, settling on the stool in front of the counter, propping her chin on her hand, her smile dripping with honey. "Aren’t you afraid of being... eaten by an unfriendly customer?"

She traced a finger lightly across Lynn’s chest.

[Lynn's SAN: -10]

Lynn quickly regained his composure, keeping his smile intact. With a swift motion, he revealed the bone-saw knife his teacher had left him. "Afraid? Well, a little. But as a doctor, my job is to heal and help. No matter how scared I am, if I have a customer, I have to do my duty. That’s the principle of a doctor."

[Ding! Current Threat Level: 51]

The woman gave a sultry laugh, her eyelids fluttering as she blew a soft breath towards him. "You’re interesting. But what if... I’m not a customer?"

"What if... I wanted to eat you?"

Her voice was low, a whisper like a soft breeze against his ear.

[Ding! Current Threat Level: 61]

Lynn maintained his calm, a polite smile still on his face. "That’s impossible. Someone as beautiful as you surely has a heart as pure as your appearance. Even if you were to feast, I’m sure it would be done with the elegance of a noblewoman."

[Ding! Current Threat Level: 56]

"You certainly know how to flatter," she purred, her finger tracing her lips. "Do you really think I’m beautiful?"

"Of course!"

She smirked. "Then what about now?"

In that instant, the woman's face split down the middle, her smile still intact, but from the gash in her flesh, jagged, backward-facing teeth emerged, followed by thick, foul-smelling tendrils that oozed out.

A wave of rancid blood and decay flooded the air.

[Lynn's SAN: -30!]

"Do you still think I’m beautiful now?"

The words came through a crackling, viscous laugh from within the gaping hole in her face.

[Ding! Current Threat Level: 81]

[Ding! Current Threat Level: 85]

[Ding! Current Threat Level: 90]

The woman slowly inched closer to Lynn, her grotesque face nearing his own, tendrils and sharp teeth looming in the space between them.

And then—

In the blink of an eye—

Mua~~

Lynn kissed her on the lips.

"...!"

"...!"