[This is a mysterious otherworld.]
[Vampires, werewolves, technology, potions, ghosts, cyborgs, divination, puppets - every horrifying element you can imagine exists in this world.]
[You must carry a lantern when going outside.]
[Don't wander too far.]
[Beyond ten meters from your doorstep, the darkness will devour you.]
[Whether your patient is human, ghost, or a patchwork monster, you must remain calm.]
[If you lose your composure, they will develop malicious intent towards you.]
At a weathered desk, Lynn wrote with a quill pen by lamplight, recording the principles he had learned since arriving in this world two years ago.
"Lynn! It's time! Hang out the lantern and prepare to open for business!"
A hoarse voice that sounded like someone chewing on bones called out.
Lynn shook his head. That voice belonged to the owner of their potion shop, his master who had saved him two years ago. As for himself, he was just an assistant at this otherworldly pharmacy.
"Coming!" Lynn shouted back.
But at that moment, a cold synthetic voice suddenly rang in his mind.
[Ding! Your master The Blood Saw Maniac has issued a task: Open for business and hang the Soul Lantern at the door. Rewards: 10 Skull Coins, 5 Basic Experience Points, 100ml Pure Human Blood.]
Lynn was startled.
That voice was... a System?
Had he finally awakened his cheat ability after two years of being in this world?
However, he didn't have time to investigate further, because he knew that if he didn't follow his master's orders immediately, he would die.
Lynn quickly left the dim attic. He immediately saw his master dragging a bisected corpse of an unidentifiable creature toward the operating room.
Crimson blood left a long trail on the moldy floor.
Splat—Splat—
Soon, the harsh sound of a chainsaw echoed from the operating room.
That bone-chewing voice spoke again.
"After opening, gather all the expired potions and feed them to our Little One in the backyard. Be quick about it."
[Ding! Your master The Blood Saw Maniac has issued a task: Sort expired potions and feed them to "Little One" in the backyard. Rewards: 10 Skull Coins, Little One Favorability -10, Domestic Proficiency +1]
Lynn was stunned.
As he had guessed.
This must be his System, could it turn everything he encountered into system tasks?
Hearing the chewing sounds behind him, Lynn composed himself.
Creak—Creak—
The aged floorboards made piercing sounds beneath his feet.
Lynn entered the front hall, took an oil lamp from the corner, and turned its clockwork mechanism. Drops of crimson blood fell from inside onto the wick.
Whoosh—
A crimson flame flickered to life.
If one listened carefully, faint agonized screams could be heard from within the lamp.
Lynn maintained his composure as he carefully opened the door.
Outside was complete darkness, with wisps of fog curling through the air. Occasional eerie giggles could be heard from the darkness.
He stayed calm, hanging the oil lamp on the doorpost, illuminating the weathered sign beside it.
[Blood Saw's Pharmacy]
[Ding! You have received: 10 Skull Coins, 5 Basic Experience Points, 100ml Pure Human Blood.]
Lynn turned to go back inside the pharmacy.
But at that moment, a deep and sinister laugh came from the darkness.
"Young man... good morning. Do you have any useless trash for this old lady? I'll give you proper compensation, hehehe."
In the darkness.
Dim lamplight approached as a hunched figure in tattered linen emerged, pulling a cart.
She wore a kindly smile on her face.
But Lynn could clearly see.
She was holding lanterns made of human skin, and the rust-covered cart she pulled was actually growing from her hands.
[Ding! The Skin Scavenger has issued an optional task: Give "Useless Trash" to the scavenger. Optional task rewards: Scavenger Favorability +10, 20 Skull Coins, Scavenger's Reward x1]
Lynn maintained his composure.
"Yes, please wait a moment."
Lynn quickly turned and went back into the pharmacy, grabbing two black bags from near the door.
A heavy stench of blood wafted from the bags, and something inside seemed to be struggling, emitting low, hoarse moans.
Lynn calmly placed the "Useless Trash" on the old woman's cart.
"Thank you, young man. You're such a kind soul."
The old woman's smile never wavered.
She slowly extended her withered hand and dug out two bloody eyeballs from her own eye sockets.
"Young man, this is old granny's payment to you."
[Ding! You have received task rewards: Scavenger Favorability +10, 20 Skull Coins!]
[Ding! You can choose to accept or reject the Scavenger's payment. Rejecting will result in Scavenger Favorability -50]
Lynn looked at the steaming eyeballs and calmly reached out to accept them, saying:
"I accept them, thank you."
The old woman's smile grew even brighter, though her empty eye sockets were particularly unsettling.
"Good, good!"
Then, under Lynn's watchful gaze, the old woman pulled her cart and slowly disappeared into the darkness.
[Ding! You have received Scavenger's Reward: Tailor Shop Owner's Eyeball x1, Butcher Shop Owner's Eyeball x1, Scavenger Favorability +20]
Lynn maintained his composure but secretly breathed a sigh of relief as he returned to the pharmacy.
He knew from his master that the tailor shop worked with human skin, and the butcher shop sold human flesh - both were located just across the street from their pharmacy.
Yet the Scavenger had somehow obtained both shop owners' eyeballs.
This led to another principle he had learned about this world:
[Never try to offend those who walk in darkness.]
Lynn turned around, forcing himself to stay calm.
He gathered the expired black-red potions from the counter, placing them in his medicine case as he headed toward the backyard.
Passing the operating room, the splat-splat cutting sounds were still ongoing.
Lynn knew.
At times like this, it was best not to disturb his master.
If you did, you might be the next one lying on that operating table.
Lynn arrived at the backyard.
When he opened the cellar door, a thick stench immediately hit him - the pungent smell of long-rotted flesh and excrement.
"Hiss—Hiss—"
Mysterious sounds emanated from the cellar.
Lynn knew that what his master called "Little One" lived in this cellar, though what exactly it was, no one but his master knew.
Lynn poured all the potions from his case into the cellar.
[Ding! You have received: 10 Skull Coins, Little One Favorability -10, Domestic Proficiency +1]
Roar—
Roar—
Soon, piercing and furious howls came from the cellar, accompanied by waves of bloody stench.
Lynn quickly closed the cellar door.
He breathed a sigh of relief.
These were the daily morning tasks he had to complete as an assistant at this pharmacy.
And the most important reason - the absolutely crucial reason - he had survived was that he followed his master's orders without question. Those assistants who didn't listen had long since been dismembered by his master and fed to Little One.
Lynn calmed himself and tentatively called out:
"System?"
And in the next moment, a panel suddenly appeared before Lynn's eyes.