Lynn stared wide-eyed and instinctively clicked on the image.

Instantly, a tentacle appeared holding a cute (?) baby, with a comical, bashful expression.

【Everyone】: “???”

[Ethereal Queen]: “My daughter.”

[Everyone]: “!!!”

[Ethereal Queen]: “That human boy said, having a daughter like mine is a reflection of true goodness in my heart. But I feel like... he might have had something to do with this because my other children all look like this.”

【Image】 (Click to view)

Lynn clicked on the image, and the screen suddenly showed twisted, broken tentacle monsters, slit-mouth creatures, and putrid flesh conglomerates. The visual pollution was severe.

[Burned Ghost]: “Uh... This Queen, yesterday morning when I went to that shop, I saw the human doctor. He was doing something terrifying, giving a ghost baby some kind of... surgery. I wonder if it’s your daughter…”

[Ethereal Queen]: “???”

[Ethereal Queen]: “Private message, tell me more!”

Slap!

Lynn's eyes widened. Without a second thought, he quickly closed the region channel.

This can’t be real!

But how could he have known that in this Dark World, there was a platform for information exchange similar to the metaverse?! He had barely managed to trick the female ghost earlier today, and now it seemed like everything was being turned upside down!

He had hoped to explore more features of the Vision, but now, his mind was completely distracted.

He quickly logged off.

When his consciousness returned to his body, Lynn ran at an unimaginable speed to the front door.

Without hesitation, he attempted to close it.

However, at almost the same moment, a smooth, sweet voice came from the black mist outside.

“Good boy, closing early today? Are you scared of something?”

Lynn froze in place, his expression stiffening.

Clack—Clack—

The sound of footsteps came closer, and soon, from the black mist, a woman with an alluring figure appeared.

She wore a seductive smile, her long wavy hair cascading behind her, and her steps were extraordinarily graceful.

It was the blood-dressed evil spirit he had encountered before.

【Lynn’s Sanity -10】

She’s here this fast?

Lynn quickly forced a professional smile, rubbing his temples, and said, “Oh, no, just not feeling well today, so I thought I’d close early and get some rest.”

The blood-dressed evil spirit walked closer, slowly biting her crimson lips, and said, “Is that so?”

“That’s really unfortunate.”

“I was planning to properly thank you for taking care of my daughter.”

【Ding! Crisis Level 79】

Lynn instinctively took a step back and silently gripped his revolver, still smiling, and said, “Oh, no need for thanks! It’s really my pleasure, nothing to thank me for!”

【Ding! You triggered the quest: Survive. Quest rewards: 200 Skull Coins, 200 Basic Experience, Special Reward x1】

Lynn’s eyes widened in shock.

The blood-dressed evil spirit smiled and slowly approached.

Her gaze was incredibly gentle, but her Crisis Level kept rising.

【Crisis Level 81】

【Crisis Level 85】

【Crisis Level 90】

But just as she was about to reach Lynn, a rolling sound of wheels echoed from the distance.

Screech—Screech—

The sound was grating to the ears.

The blood-dressed evil spirit immediately halted, her smile faltering slightly.

Slowly, a hunchbacked old woman, pulling a cart, emerged from the black mist in front of Lynn's shop, smiling as she waved at him.

“Boy, closing already?”

Lynn immediately seized the opportunity like a lifeline, grinning as he greeted her, “Yes, just feeling a little unwell, so I thought I’d rest early. How’s your collection today, Grandma?”

The scavenger chuckled, “Oh, you know, I’m old now, and nobody pays attention to me. But thanks to the things you gave me, I won’t have to scavenge for a few days. Hehe…”

Without missing a beat, Lynn said, “Don’t mention it, Grandma. Actually, I’ve gathered some stuff today that you might be interested in. How about I give them to you?”

“Oh?” The scavenger grinned, “Then I’ll take them, young man.”

Lynn quickly returned to his shop and brought out the hair strands from the Monster Hunter and the Black Knight, placing them carefully on the scavenger’s cart.

【Ding! You gave the Scavenger: Monster Hunter’s Long Hair x1】

【Ding! You gave the Scavenger: Black Knight’s White Hair x1】

The scavenger froze, then stared at Lynn with a complicated expression, saying, “When I passed by the alley, those two outsiders were still fighting. Their shiny bald heads were giving me a headache.”

“Did they get their heads shaved at your shop?”

Lynn smiled, “Yes, they’re both regular customers of mine.”

The scavenger paused, then gave him an approving smile. “Impressive, impressive. I didn’t realize all the outsiders appearing in our Ghost Soul Alley are associated with you. Young man, you’re quite something.”

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“But this time, I don’t have anything to offer you. Would you mind if I rest here in front of your shop for a while?”

Lynn immediately helped the old woman onto a seat, smiling cheerfully, “Not at all, Grandma. Please, rest as long as you need.”

【Ding! You completed the quest. The Blood-Dressed Evil Spirit has canceled her hostility towards you. You received the rewards: 200 Skull Coins, 200 Basic Experience, Special Reward: Curse Diagnosis Skillbook x1】

Lynn maintained a smile on his face, but inside, he felt as though he had narrowly escaped death.

He knew the truth.

The blood-dressed evil spirit had come here to kill him!

If not for the timely appearance of this old woman, he might not have made it out alive today.

“Boy, who is this lady?” the scavenger asked, smiling as she looked at the blood-dressed evil spirit not far away.

Lynn immediately smiled back, “Oh, this is just another one of my customers. She’s a new neighbor who recently moved here. A very friendly and beautiful lady.”

The blood-dressed evil spirit smiled faintly, but there was a sharp glint in her eyes.

She didn’t linger. Slowly, she turned, flipping her long hair, and with a slight curve of her lips, she said, “Since you’re busy, I won’t disturb you. But I made a lovely dinner tonight. You should come over to my place for dinner. My house is at No. 45. My daughter… really likes you.”

【Ding! You triggered the quest: Blood Feast】

[Quest Branch 1]: Accept the Blood-Dressed Evil Spirit’s invitation and visit her home.

[Quest Branch 2]: Reject the Blood-Dressed Evil Spirit’s invitation and survive tonight.

[Quest Rewards]: 1000 Skull Coins, 500 Basic Experience, Special Reward x1

Crack—

The blood-dressed evil spirit’s smile stretched to her ears, and Lynn could even see the tentacles and jagged barbs writhing in her mouth.

“You wouldn’t… refuse, would you?” she said softly.

The blood-dressed evil spirit turned, her hips swaying as she walked back into the black mist, her footsteps gradually fading into the distance. Lynn let out a long breath, his body finally relaxing.

"Young man," the scavenger beside him smiled and said, "Go on back, but take care. Don’t mess with any vengeful spirits. If you do, they’ll haunt you forever."

Lynn immediately snapped back to reality, quickly bowing his head in gratitude. "No matter what, I still need to thank you, Grandma. If you hadn’t shown up, I would’ve been in real trouble."

The scavenger chuckled as she pulled her cart, her voice still warm. "If it weren't for you last night, the Ghost Soul Alley wouldn't even exist anymore." She paused, giving him a knowing smile. "But don't think I'll always be around to help. From here on out, it’s up to you."

Creek—creek—

Lynn watched as the old woman disappeared into the mist, her cart fading into the shadows. His expression turned serious.

He quickly returned to the apothecary, glancing at the time. Raising an eyebrow, he muttered, "Looks like it all depends on whether the teacher comes back tonight. If not... I’ll be in trouble."

Night was fast approaching. The soul lantern outside flickered weakly and then dimmed.

Lynn paced back and forth. He knew. His teacher probably wouldn't return tonight.

That left him with two choices: either visit the blood-dressed evil spirit’s home or survive until morning.

But at his current strength, surviving the night would be nearly impossible.

Frowning, he didn’t hesitate. He immediately spent 500 Skull Coins and logged into the Vision, hoping to gather more intelligence.

As soon as he opened the regional channel, his eyes widened at the familiar name.

[Regional Channel]

[Burned Ghost]: "Queen, did you take care of that human boy?"

[Ethereal Queen]: "That kid got lucky. An unknown scavenger happened to pass by, and he seems close to that old lady. I didn’t make a move."

[Skeleton Demon]: "You’re talking about the old hag, right?! You’d better be careful! She’s one of the oldest residents in our Ghost Soul Alley. Many say she might be a remnant of a primal monster. Her strength is terrifying!"

[Ethereal Queen]: "Interesting. But if it comes to a fight, I’m not afraid of her!"

[Ethereal Queen]: "Tonight, I’ve invited that boy to my house. If he comes, there’ll be some good entertainment. If not... hehe, I’ll just have to find some other fun."

[Burned Ghost]: "The Queen is invincible!"

The rest of the messages were all filled with flattery. Clearly, she had already established quite an authority in the Ghost Soul Alley in such a short time.

Indeed, in this world, power ruled all.

[Skeleton Demon]: "Queen, do you think he’s in the Vision right now, watching us chat?"

[Ethereal Queen]: "Impossible. That guy’s too weak. He hasn’t reached the level to enter the Vision. Even if he is, it doesn’t matter. I’m already itching to deal with him! You can expect my report tomorrow!"

[Ethereal Queen]: Human dog doctor, are you there?

[Ethereal Queen]: The bastard who messed with my daughter, come out if you dare!

Slap—

Lynn immediately closed the regional channel, his eyes wide in shock.

She was openly plotting against him!

This couldn’t stand!

He quickly logged off, his face grim. Grabbing his revolver, heart, and bone saw (his best defensive items), he readied himself for what was coming.

Then, he opened his character panel.

[Skills]

[Infectious Aura]: Slightly increases the success rate of persuasion.

[Curse Diagnosis]: Can diagnose whether someone is cursed.

Lynn frowned at the lackluster skills—essentially, a tank build with barely any useful survival skills. "I can’t fight head-on. I’ll have to outsmart her."

With determination in his eyes, Lynn wasted no time. He quickly locked the door, grabbed the soul lantern, and for the first time, walked out of the apothecary shop.

The lantern’s light pushed back the surrounding black mist, leaving an eerie silence in its wake.

Soon, Lynn found himself standing in front of the dilapidated house at No. 45 in Ghost Soul Alley.

He lifted his head, and the old, crumbling building came into view, thick with the stench of blood and rot. This was the former pig-head monster’s shop... until yesterday, when he’d been devoured.

Creek—

Lynn slowly pushed open the ancient wooden door, his voice calling out, "Lady! I’ve come to visit!"

The interior was dark and smelled of decay. Lynn cautiously stepped inside.

In the darkness, he could faintly hear the sound of slithering and the soft clinking of chains.

Just then—

Whoosh—

The candleholders along the walls lit up one by one, flooding the room with light.

Lynn immediately saw the gruesome sight—hanging from chains were numerous skinned, dried-out bodies, each frozen with twisted expressions of agony.

Clearly, before the pig-head monster's demise, this place had been a gruesome slaughterhouse.

Lynn reached out and poked one of the hanging bodies in front of him. "Not as handsome as me." He shook his head, casually pushing the body aside as he moved further into the room.

Ahead, in the center of the room, was a rectangular table covered in a blood-red tablecloth, two candleholders casting flickering flames. On the table lay a pair of high heels.

The atmosphere was unsettlingly eerie, yet oddly mismatched.

"Lady? Are you here?" Lynn shouted, but there was no response.

He blinked, shrugged, and, seeing the chair set before the table—apparently prepared for him—plopped down into it.

...

Meanwhile, on the second floor, thick, slimy tentacles crawled across the walls.

The blood-dressed evil spirit narrowed her eyes, staring into a glowing mirror that displayed the scene of Lynn downstairs. Her lips curled into a sinister smile.

"Everyone, the doctor’s here. Since you all wanted to see an execution, tonight’s your chance."

In the Vision, the regional channel’s live feed showed the image in the mirror. Over 541 viewers were already watching.

[Blood Doll]: "I don’t think this is a good idea. After all, he’s Blood Saw’s apprentice. If he dies now, it’ll be terrifying when Blood Saw returns!"

[Burned Ghost]: "Does the Queen care about that? Blood Saw’s just a sadistic killer, and his apprentice is a small-time sadistic killer too. A human causing so much trouble in Ghost Soul Alley? He deserves to pay!"

[Skeleton Demon]: "Queen, how are you going to kill him?"

The blood-dressed evil spirit smirked, flicking her hair. "I won’t kill him just yet. If he’s human, the best punishment isn’t to end his life right away... it’s to break his mind first."

"Don’t you want to see his terrified face? I’m sure it’ll be very entertaining!"

She turned, looking at her adorable daughter, who was sleeping peacefully in the corner. Her eyes immediately filled with red-hot tears.

If only she hadn’t known it was that human who had caused it all...

Her poor daughter, who could’ve been a powerful, twisted predator, now reduced to an innocent, useless little thing.

It was all that man’s fault!

With a sudden, sharp motion, she turned to the mirror again, glaring at it. "Everyone, this is the scene I’ve set up just for you. Get ready to watch him die!"

With that, she yanked a tentacle hanging from above.

Creek—

Something had been triggered.