A glass bottle the size of a mineral water bottle, the surface smeared with greasy stains.
Immediately, a strange scent of the hawthorn flower permeates the air.
Lin Xun quickly put the bottle back into the game, shaking his hand in disgust, "This is hardly holy water..."
"However, the item's description seems a bit strange, maybe it has other uses. Let me try this operation to see if I can save this bottle of holy water."
Clicked on Shell Reshaping.
[You have consumed 1 point of your soul strength, reshaping the shell of the 'Guardian Knight'.]
[The light of your soul condenses into the knight's shell, only the initial wounds are retained on the shell, while the damage caused by the shadow attack does not remain.]
Lin Xun pondered, the game's setting should be such that the damage suffered after the soul took over the body would not be kept when reshaping the shell.
Otherwise, being killed by a monster and then needing to find a way to heal after waking up could lead to an unending cycle.
Clicked on the nun's skill "Song of Praise".
[You use the skill 'Song of Praise', to heal the knight's shell, the shell's injuries have slightly improved.]
[You use the skill 'Song of Praise', to heal the knight's shell, the shell's injuries have slightly improved.]
[You feel a little weary.]
...
[You use the skill 'Song of Praise', to heal the knight's shell, the shell's injuries have completely healed.]
[You feel extremely tired, even the slightest movement feels like a luxury.]
[The choir nun's shell is fainting from overexertion, do you want to leave the shell?]
Firmly clicked to leave the shell.
[You exited the nun's shell and chose to inhabit the knight's shell.]
[You have gained control of the knight's shell...]
"This operation conforms to the expected game process, not only healing the knight's injuries but also saving a bottle of holy water." Lin Xun was calculating carefully, cherishing the resources at hand.
He casually opened the panel for the knight's shell.
[Shell—Guardian Knight of the White Moon Church]
[True Name: Unknown]
[Compatibility: 103% (+15%) Compatibility exceeding the critical point, shell quality improved!]
[Shell Quality: Ruined +]
[Shell Level: 1]
[Shell Equipment: Broken Knight Armour (Ruined), the formerly sturdy armour, greatly reduced in defensive power after being torn apart by a massive force.]
[Shell Skill: Retribution Swordsmanship (Ruined), a basic introductory swordsmanship practiced by Church Knights, requires a weapon to activate.]
Lin Xun was startled. Shell compatibility exceeding 100% actually improves the shell quality. It seems his soul potential is high.
The shell quality has improved to Ruined +, the knight should be stronger than the nun. The only regret is that there is no weapon in the shell equipment, so he can't use the skill.
Continuing the game, clicked to open the door.
[The terrifying creak of the door in the silent night is exceptionally piercing.]
[The loud noise has attracted the attention of a monster...]
[Outside the church door, the monster turned around abruptly, its flaming eyes fixed on you.]
[The monster is attacking you, with your injuries healed, you definitely have the strength to fight back against the ambushers.]
[You swung your fists, facing the grotesque figure in the Blood Sun robe.]
[You've defeated the 'Corrupted Blood Sun Cultist,' experience points slightly increased.]
Lin Xun thought to himself, as expected, after healing the knight's injuries, he could normally fight monsters and level up.
Next... it's hunting time!
[You've acquired a Primary Forging Stone *1, a Rusty Church Cross Sword (Ruined +)]
"Oh? Got some equipment?"
Just as Lin Xun was about to open the item panel to check, the game text continued...
[You looked up, under the cold moonlight, the once bustling town streets have turned into ruins. Broken bodies are littered all around, the smell of blood permeates the whole of Moonlight Town—Saint Lance.]
[From among the ruins, countless flaming eyes are looking at you, apparently, the noise from your fight earlier has attracted their attention.]
[You are drowned in a tide of monsters...]
[You died!]
???
Lin Xun was dumbfounded, it seemed like a matryoshka doll game.
Opening the door attracted one monster, killing this monster attracted a swarm of monsters. So, he can't make a noise, otherwise, the monsters would just keep coming one wave after another?
[You opened your eyes and found yourself rejuvenated in the form of a Wandering Soul, in the ruined church. There are only two usable shells remaining in the church.]
Of the two shells available now, the nun is fainting, so she probably can't be used anymore.
Either choose to possess the priest, or use the last point of soul strength to reshape the knight's shell.
Lin Xun clicked on the inventory to check the items he had just put his life on the line for.
[Forging Stone: A mysterious ore possessing unknown power, can be used for basic equipment enhancement, applicable only after learning related forging skills.]
[Rusted Church Cross Sword (Ruined +): Standard weapon of the church combatants. The red-brown rust has degraded the formidable Cross Sword, greatly reducing its sharpness.]
The Forging Stone is a material for equipment enhancement. Without any forging skills at hand, it's of no use for now.
Lin Xun casually slotted the Cross Sword into the knight's equipment bar.
"Now that I only have one point of Soul Strength left, which would take 12 hours to recover, it seems better to possess the priest first."
[A weak Wandering Soul has possessed the shell of the Black-Robed Priest.]
[Current Shell Slots Used: 2/2, Guardian Knight, Preaching Priest.]
[You control this unfamiliar shell. It contains fragments of memory.]
[The corruptive power of the Blood Sun Church is nearing. Maybe, death is imminent. Following despair, the priest fell into madness, attempting to indulge in his final moments of life. His gloomy eyes fell on the young nun singing hymns...]
[Cry...Resist...Tight...Dry...]
[The priest furrowed his brows and took out a bottle of coveted Healing Holy Water.]
[Very moist...]
[The fragmented memory abruptly ended.]
Lin Xun was stunned.
That priest sure knew how to have fun.
Feeling thoroughly enlightened, he opened the priest's shell panel.
[Shell - White Moon Church's Preaching Priest]
[Real Name: Unknown]
[Compatibility: 94% (+15%)]
[Shell Quality: Ruined]
[Shell Level: 1]
[Shell Equipment: Bright New Moon Scripture (Ruined), prayer book of the White Moon Church containing the church's rules and beliefs. The solid and heavy scripture also doubles as a weapon in times of crisis.]
[Shell Skills: None]
Lin Xun made a face: "Is this supposed to be a mage? There's not a single spell, it's even below the nun."
No Fireball, no Magic Shield, nothing. This shell was truly disappointing for him.
Anyhow, he had to keep playing the game.
[The damage within the Priest's shell rendering your movements difficult, dragging your feet.]
[Would you like to push open the big church door?]
Looking at the priest's shell, weaker than the nun's, Lin Xun felt that stepping out the door would only mean courting death.
"Should I use the Healing Holy Water to heal the priest's shell?"
If a fully healed knight couldn't resist the tide of monsters, could a healthy priest survive amidst them?
No way, absolutely impossible.
"I'll just try going outside first. Maybe the priest can unlock new branch choices."
[The aged hinge structure of the church's heavy door creaks loudly from years of friction.]
[The chilling sound of the creaky door opening, piercing sharply through the silence of the night.]
[The loud noise attracted the attention of the creatures outside the church...]
[Outside the church's door, the monster turned swiftly around. Its bloodshot eyes were locked onto you.]
[You were attacked by the monster. Your severely damaged organs render you incapable of fighting back.]
[You have died!]
"The little monsters resurrect... This must be a soul-like game."
He thought the priest would at least die in the second round of monster attacks, but he didn't expect the monster at the church door to be resurrected.
The screen lit up with the bright, red word: "Death".
The monsters respawned, but there were no new options... Wasn't this a dead end?
Whether it's the knight's shell or the priest's shell, going out would attract monsters, and killing those monsters would attract a new batch.
Looking at the game text before his death, Lin Xun lapsed into contemplation.
Aged...Hinge...Friction...Noise...
An idea sparked— he suddenly understood.
"I got it! So the Holy Water is used this way!"
While this realization did not discourage Lin Xun, he now knew how to break through the bottleneck.
[You opened your eyes and discovered that you were reborn as a Wandering Soul in the ruined church. There is only one usable shell left in the church.]