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Chapter 98
🕑 Added 2024-03-03 02:56:37 +0000 UTCIn that instant, the room fell into stunned silence, every doctor gaping in disbelief. As they watched, the heart extended a foot again and kicked the lung next to it. On the lung's lobe appeared an annoyed expression symbol ╬.
The doctors were completely taken aback, their expressions a mix of shock and confusion.
The director, sitting in disbelief, shakily took off his glasses and applied eye drops, muttering about his failing eyesight. But before he could finish, the heart suddenly launched another punch, only to be swiftly restrained and pummeled by the lung's tentacle-like extensions.
Amidst the chaos, a nurse monitoring Bayi's heart rate from another room shouted in alarm, "Director! The patient's heart rate is spiking erratically! It's off the charts!"
However, everyone in the X-ray room was too shocked to respond, still processing the surreal scene unfolding on the X-ray screen.
A doctor murmured, "It's... being beaten up..."
The nurse, bewildered, repeated, "What?"
At that moment, a loud thump was heard.
"Emergency! The director's heart condition has flared up again! Hurry, get him to the emergency room!"
The staff sprang into action, rushing the director for immediate medical attention amidst the surreal and chaotic scene.
In the Dark World, along Wandering Soul Lane, Lynne finally found the time to take little Alice for a stroll.
The dense black fog that shrouded the lane, both day and night, suffused the air with an oppressive atmosphere, hardly better than the one at the Wandering Soul Lane.
Throughout their walk, Alice perched on Lynne's arm, exhibited immense curiosity. Her eyes darted from side to side, taking in the wonders of this strange world. The creatures they passed, enveloped in the black mist, would often freeze in shock (;oдo), then turn tail and flee in a panic.
Unfazed, Lynne was accustomed to the reactions his presence evoked, though the dark beings could easily sense the overwhelming ghostly aura emanating from the little girl in his arms.
"Do you want to walk by yourself?" Lynne asked, looking down at Alice.
She vigorously shook her head, her long hair brushing against Lynne's nose. Clearly, she preferred staying right where she was.
One of her hands clung to Lynne's neck, while the other reached out, pointing curiously at a creature attempting to sneak away along a distant wall.
"Look—" Alice uttered a sound, full of curiosity.
Lynne sighed and shook his head. "Are you hungry? We can't just see a creature and think of it as food. They haven't bothered us, so we can't just pin them down and take a bite, can we?"
At his words, the creature's fur bristled in terror.
(((;꒪ꈊ꒪;)))
[Ding! Fear level of the Black Mist Lurker towards you +10]
[Ding! Fear level of the Black Mist Lurker towards you +10]
"Aren't you going to run away?!" Lynne's stern gaze intensified.
The creature immediately leapt up in a panic, scrambling headlong into the mist, fleeing Wandering Soul Lane as if its life depended on it.
In the Vision World, an alert was shared:
[Alert! Alert! All beings of Wandering Soul Lane, be warned, a ghost of deathly magnitude is out and about. Venture out at your own risk!]
"How is it him again! Why is it always that guy? (ΩДΩ)!"
"Just a few days ago, he was rampaging around, riding atop the head of an Origin-level girl, and now he's casually strolling with a Death Omen-level specter!"
"Why isn't this human afraid? How can he be so brave?"
Doors and windows along the street slammed shut with a clang, resembling a scene from a night of a hundred ghosts, with every inhabitant securely behind closed doors, not daring to venture out.
Lynne gazed at the tightly shut doors around him, feeling a sense of loss. Just ten days ago, he was a reclusive apprentice, never stepping beyond the threshold of his master's abode, not daring to set foot even ten meters into the black mist. And now, he was wandering the streets as freely as one would on Earth.
Sigh. Life can be so unpredictable at times.
Shaking his head in resignation, Lynne playfully teased Alice with a homemade lollipop, dodging her eager little tongue as she tried to lick it.
Upon returning to Bloodsaw Potion Shop with Alice in his arms, Lynne received a series of notifications.
[Ding! You've taken Alice for a walk, reducing her hatred by 0.5% and increasing her fondness for you by 30]
[Ding! You've fed Alice a lollipop, reducing her hatred by 0.1% and increasing her fondness for you by 10]
[Ding! Alice is in a good mood, reducing her hatred by 0.2%.]
The stroll had helped cleanse Alice's spirit.
Back in the courtyard, Lynne set Alice down on his lap, allowing her to curiously wiggle her toes and look around. He took a moment to open his panel. Having dealt with all matters today, tomorrow he could finally trigger the quest for his first class change to Night Doctor.
He looked at his level 10 status, pondering internally.
"System, I have a question. I know that Origin-level is the peak of power in this world, followed by Kings, and then Death Omens. So, what rank am I currently at? Given my current strength with my prosthetics, I can't possibly be a level 10 weakling, right? Even considering the stored experience, I feel like I could easily take down a creature of level 20 or 30."
Lynne expressed his hesitation. His physique had been enhanced to hundreds of points, and he recalled the black moth fairy, around level 80 or 90, who fell with a mere poke. Could such creatures truly withstand others of a lower rank, like the pigfolk?
[Ding! The panel is only for the visualization of your abilities and attributes. Actual combat power should be based on reality.]
[Reminder: The other creatures in the Dark World do not have the various items and abilities granted by the system to you, nor the amplification of points. Additionally, due to the varying focus of their abilities, their combat effectiveness will fluctuate significantly.]
Lynne pondered. He somewhat understood. After all, this wasn't a virtual game but a real world. The real world was full of uncertainties, which made sense.
In a game, a level 10 warrior, even with all their might, couldn't kill a level 100 mage. But in the real world, even a little girl with a gun could easily take down a Tyson.
Lynne thought, "So, does this mean if I find the right method, with my current abilities, I might have a chance to kill a King? For instance, by stabbing them in a vital spot while treating them?"
"..."
A brief silence.
After a while.
[You cannot.]
The system responded.
Lynne was startled, "Aren't you saying that in the real world, there is no absolute level suppression?"
[Ding! This theory only applies to most creatures below level 100, as they do not possess absolute overwhelming power and still fall within the realm of nature as you understand it.]
[Creatures above level 100 enter the realms of the supernatural. Each rank beyond that point has immense suppressive power, and the gap in strength increases exponentially.]
Lynne pondered, "But it's not impossible to kill them, right?"
[All things are possible below the level of the King.]
Lynne's heart stirred slightly. He reflected on the different methods each race in the Dark World employed to increase their power. For example, the intense hatred Alice unleashed upon learning the truth catapulted her into the realm of a Death Omen.
This meant that despite Alice's harmless demeanor around him, if her hatred were to fully erupt, it would be an unimaginable disaster.
Little was likely at the brink of reaching Origin level, capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with the most powerful Kings. Yet, if augmented with battle experience and various artifacts, a peak King might overpower Little.
The Titan Skull was the most formidable force Lynne had encountered, with the Witch God Skull following closely. However, even the Titan had been decapitated, hinting at even more unimaginable powers beyond the Dark World, such as the supreme will of the Vision World!
As for his teacher, the Puppet Mistress, and the Miss Blood Clad, they seemed to be on a similar level, definitely below Death Omen. Yet, they could probably hold their own in a fight against Alice.
Lynne surmised there must be one or more ranks between those over level 100 and below the Miss Blood Clad. These individuals, being elite among the elite, represented the true backbone of the Dark World, the middle tier of the pyramid.
Lifting his head, Lynne inquired, "What rank do creatures below level 100 belong to?"
After a brief pause, the system responded.
[All Beings]
"..."
"Brother."
Alice's voice drew Lynne out of his contemplation. She had observed him for some time, her lollipop already consumed.
"What is it?" Lynne asked, his smile warm.
Alice raised her hand, a patchwork of stitches, and gestured towards her body. She opened her mouth, shaking her head: "Uncomfortable."
Lynne then observed the sugary fluid she had ingested slowly oozing from the stitches in her throat, blending with pus and blood, marring her chest.
With a splash, in a room in the backyard, Lynne poured hot water into a large wooden tub, and then added a generous amount of soap nuts, causing a surge of white froth to bubble up.
He beckoned to Alice, who was peeking at the door, with a tilt of his lips and a chin-up gesture: "Come on! Earlier, in haste, the stitching I did was rough. Bathe now, and afterward, I'll stitch it anew for you, ensuring no flaws this time."
Alice drifted in slowly. She gazed at the foamy wooden tub, then lifted her head, her eyes misty, and extended her arms towards Lynne. Her intention was clear. She wanted her brother's help with the bath.
"..."
This directly challenged Lynne's preconceptions. He froze on the spot for a half-second. Then he squatted down earnestly, looking at Alice: "Alice, first, you must understand, you're a girl, and bathing is something that shouldn't be assisted by the opposite sex, not even by a real brother, let alone a foster one."
Alice looked up, inquiring, "Why...?"
Lynne said seriously, "Because you're young and don't understand yet."
Alice paused, then stammered, "Brother... how old?"
Lynne smiled slightly, "Eighteen!"
Alice looked down at her ten stitched fingers, "Alice is..."
She raised her head, her eyes foggy, "201 years old."
"..."
"..."
Silence enveloped the surroundings.
Lynne's smile froze on his face.
She definitely included her age after death.
Indeed. But that's not quite right! After all, if age after death counts, then Little would be over three thousand years old!
Truly, in this Dark World, one cannot apply the norms of humanity, or else numerous contradictions arise.
Observing Alice's hopeful gaze, Lynne finally pressed his forehead, speaking sternly, "Just this once, next time you must do it yourself! Understand?"
Alice blinked but did not respond to him.
...
[Ding! Shamelessly bathing Alice, her resentment - 1, trust in you + 20]
[Ding! By making Alice feel bodily and mentally pleased and warm, her resentment - 1, favorability for you + 20]
[Ding! Congratulations on triggering the milestone achievement: Sweet Home. You've earned 200 experience points]
[Sweet Home (Part 1)]: A milestone achievement. Earn a significant amount of affection from a sister figure through prolonged, dubious physical contact. A step towards an unreturnable path of sibling affection. Permanent bonuses acquired: Charisma +1, Archery +2, Physique +2]
Lynne, clenching his fists and grinding his teeth, washed Alice's hair amidst the foam with a towel. He lifted his head with a frustrated expression ('〃′皿')q and exclaimed: "Shut up!"
Always in situations seemingly innocent, the system awards an achievement that is anything but. It's utterly deplorable. This was simply an act of routine care and concern. This was simply a routine act of care and concern.
Yet, from the system's perspective, it took on an entirely different meaning!
Minutes later, with the sound of water, Lynne wrapped Alice in a large bath towel, lifted her onto a table, and then, under her curious gaze, retrieved a pack of fine silk thread from the surgery room.
Sitting solemnly in front of her, Lynne studied her curious, wet eyes while holding her feet on his lap to prevent any movement. He then took out a needle, saying seriously, "Alice, I'm going to start removing the stitches. If it hurts, try to bear with it, or you can transform into a ghost and leave your body temporarily. Once I've finished re-stitching, you can re-enter it."
Alice, clutching the towel, shook her head and blinked, not responding. But her intention was clear. She was a malevolent spirit. She did not feel pain, except when her soul was scorched by holy attacks.
For a malevolent ghost, the body was merely a vessel.
Lynne declared, "Alright! I'm starting now!"
Saying this, Lynne adjusted his monocle, regained his composure, and swiftly removed the stitches from her ankle. Then he picked up the needle and thread, gently piercing through.
"Yiya."
Almost reflexively, Alice covered her mouth, tightly closing her eyes, her toes curling instinctively, feeling a sharp sting.
Confusion flickered in her eyes.
Pain... Could it be? Strange... very strange... Though slight, it was indeed painful... In waves, coursing through her body...
She braced herself against the table, tightly shutting her eyes, her body trembling slightly. But she managed to slightly open her eyes, watching Lynne stitch her body carefully and meticulously. Unaccountably, a warm current seemed to flow through her, as if the pain was lessening.
Though he was a stranger to her, unexpectedly, Alice felt a sense of care and protection from Lynne, reminiscent of the distant past when she was alive, and her parents and brother were still as they once were...
It was comforting.
She gently closed her eyes again, and unknowingly, a slight smile graced her lips. It was painful, yet there was happiness in it. Could this be what being loved feels like?
[Ding! Alice's favorability for you +40, trust in you +30, resentment -3]
[Ding! You caused Alice pain, resentment -2, favorability for you +10]
Lynne, frustrated ('〃′皿`)q, exclaimed, "Stupid system, shut up!"
...
