"It makes sense that Carmen and Xu Lin are concerned about the personal side quests. They must be worried that a newcomer might undertake a personal side quest on their own, disrupting their main quest strategy," Alexander mused, holding a Glock 18, a well-known self-defense pistol praised for its ease of use and trigger safety.

At that moment, Xu Lin glanced around at everyone and spoke in a somber tone, "Next, I'm going to show you something very important, so pay attention."

Xu Lin extended his hand as if grasping the air. "Come forth! My Sacrificial Blade!"

In an instant, a weapon appeared in his hand—a chain ball entwined with a black chain.

"This is the Sacrificial Blade, a powerful weapon obtained from the dark realm, and one of the strongest tools at our disposal as players..." Xu Lin explained with an unusual seriousness. "You just asked why we can't rely solely on modern firearms to deal with those hybrids. The truth is, this method is unreliable, especially since this is a modern Earth script world. With each new script world opened by the dark realm, the setting differs. If we're thrown into ancient China, medieval Europe, or prehistoric times, we wouldn't be able to use any modern firearms..."

"Moreover, if we encounter enemies that aren't hybrids but demons, spirits, or ghosts, would our firearms still work?"

"Even in this Cthulhu mythos world, there are special races and extraterrestrial beings impervious to human firearms. Then what do we do...?"

"At times like these, the special weapons provided by the dark realm are our only hope!"

He gripped the chain ball, a weapon made from a skull fused with lead, its spikes gleaming with cold metal light.

"This is the Sacrificial Blade, a weapon forged within the dark realm, possible only through their crafting methods..."

"The Sacrificial Blade has a unique property: no matter the enemy, it inflicts damage, even on ghosts and spirits. Such ethereal entities can be harmed, let alone hybrid Deep Ones. I suspect it could even hurt a Great Old One, though the extent of the damage is uncertain..."

"You mean it's specialized equipment from the dark realm, meant for leveling up?" Eric compared it to online gaming terms for understanding.

Xu Lin continued, "Something like that, but there's a difference: to forge such a weapon, you must return to the dark realm and perform a sacrifice..."

"Sacrifice!?" The group was bewildered, exchanging puzzled looks.

"Yes, the weapon is called the Sacrificial Blade for a reason. You must make a contract with the dark realm and sacrifice something of your own to obtain such a weapon."

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Xu Lin's explanation left the group frowning, too abstract for full comprehension. Alexander alone appeared deep in thought.

"If you're willing to pay the price, you can turn bone to sword, flesh to shield, and convert soul and will into strength. But what you sacrifice, you lose—a form of equivalent exchange!" Xu Lin spoke with a deeper meaning, though no one caught on.

Alexander was considering another matter: if Xu Lin had such a "special weapon," did Carmen also have a trump card of her own? Yet no one else had raised this question.

"Besides this, you can enter the dark realm's free market to purchase special items, assuming... you return alive..." Carmen raised her left hand, pointing to the back of it.

"Everyone has a flame emblem on their hand, known as the dark contract. It not only confirms our status as players of the dark realm but also has special functions!"

"Its primary function links us to the dark realm and can provide warnings when danger approaches..."

"It has other unique abilities, but our understanding of the dark realm is limited. If you're capable, you can explore it yourself!"

Xu Lin and Carmen had briefed them to this extent and said no more. At that moment, Carmen received a call from the police, reporting that the suspect had been apprehended swiftly and efficiently.

"These cops aren't as incompetent as I thought," Jin Jianshu remarked with surprise.

"Old Li, could you liaise with the police? Once we confirm the suspect's identity, we can proceed directly to raid the club..." Xu Lin commanded.

Hearing this, Alexander felt a stir within, knowing he'd soon face his death flag.

"Will I survive this crisis?"

Facing the unknown danger, he could only sigh helplessly.

...

Three hours later, Carmen returned from the police station.

"The suspect has been found. His name is Gordon, a boatman. Seven years ago, he and a group of sailors murdered the millionaire Dupuis. He's also a member of the Dagon cult and one of their minor leaders—we've caught a big fish this time..."

Carmen downed a glass of water, announcing loudly, "He confessed to a lot, including human trafficking operations stretching from Southeast Asia. Part were sold into slave markets worldwide, and others were brought here for living sacrifices..."

"They aren't the original Dagon cult members but a criminal network of sailors and smugglers from various countries. Their connection to the town's old Dagon cult is minimal, sharing a similar origin but not the same organization."

"So it's not closely tied to the original myth," Xu Lin mused aloud while stroking his chin.

"What do we do next?"

"Let the town’s police handle it. It’d be foolish not to use them to our advantage," Xu Lin stated nonchalantly, knowing that tackling those cultists wouldn't be easy, even for experienced players like him and Carmen.

To them, the police were potential cannon fodder, minimizing their own losses in confronting the Dagon cult.

...

Innsmouth police quickly surrounded the Innsmouth Maritime and Shipping Club.

"Listen up, everyone. These thugs are dangerous. To protect our townspeople, don’t hold back if they resist..." The police chief instructed through a radio, warning his officers about the potential resistance as they stormed the club.

There were about thirty or forty officers, a regular security unit but adequately armed.

Fifteen minutes later, a series of gunshots rang out from the club, followed by a voice over the radio, "There's hardly anyone here. A few cultists resisted, but we subdued them quickly. However, the basement... oh God, what have they done..."

Xu Lin, Janet, and their group heard the transmission and moved towards the club immediately.