[This is a mysterious Otherworld.]


    [Vampires, werewolves, technology, magic potions, ghosts, cyborgs, divination, puppets—every terrifying element you can think of exists in this world.]


    [You must carry a lantern when you go out.]


    [Don''t wander far.]


    [If you go more than ten meters from the door, the darkness outside will swallow you.]


    [Whether your patient is human, ghost, or stitched monster, you must remain calm.]


    [If you lose your composure, it will harbor malice toward you.]


    In front of a worn-out desk, Lin En held a quill pen by the lamplight.


    He was writing down the rules he had followed since crossing into this world two years ago in his diary.


    "Lin En! It''s time, hang the lantern outside and get ready to open for business!"


    A raspy voice, as if chewing on bones, echoed through the room.


    Lin En shook his head. This voice belonged to the owner of their apothecary, the same person who had saved him two years ago and was now his teacher. Lin En was the assistant at this Otherworldly apothecary.


    "Coming!" Lin En shouted.


    But just then, a cold, synthetic voice suddenly echoed in his mind.


    [Ding! Your teacher, Blood Saw Maniac, has assigned you a task: Open for business, hang the Soul Lantern at the door. Task rewards: Skull Coins x10, Basic Experience x5, Pure Human Blood x100ml.]


    Lin En was stunned.


    Was this... the System?


    Could it be that after two years in this world, he had finally awakened his Golden Finger?


    However, he didn''t have time to ponder it, as he knew that if he didn''t act immediately according to his teacher''s orders, he would die.


    Lin En quickly exited the dim attic.


    He was greeted by the sight of his teacher dragging the bisected corpse of an unknown creature toward the adjacent operating room.


    Scarlet blood trailed a long path across the moldy floor.


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    Buzz—buzz—


    The shrill sound of an electric saw soon emanated from the operating room.


    The raspy chewing voice came again.


    "After opening, sort out all the expired potions from yesterday and feed them to the Little Baby in the backyard. Hurry up."


    [Ding! Your teacher, Blood Saw Maniac, has assigned you a task: Sort expired potions, feed them to the Little Baby in the backyard. Task rewards: Skull Coins x10, Little Baby Favorability -10, Household Proficiency +1]


    Lin En was taken aback.


    As expected.


    He guessed right.


    This must be his System, capable of turning everything he encountered into System tasks.


    Listening to the chewing sounds behind him, Lin En composed himself.


    Creak—creak—


    The old wooden floorboards groaned underfoot.


    Lin En entered the front hall, took an oil lamp from the corner, and twisted the mechanism. Drop by drop, scarlet blood dripped onto the wick.


    Whoosh—


    A scarlet flame flickered to life.


    If you listened closely, you could hear faint, anguished screams from within the lamp.


    Lin En maintained his composure and carefully opened the door.


    Outside was pitch black, with a faint mist swirling. Occasionally, eerie laughter echoed from the darkness.


    He stayed calm, hanging the oil lamp on the doorpost, illuminating the dilapidated sign beside it.


    [Blood Saw Apothecary]


    [Ding! You have received Skull Coins x10, Basic Experience x5, Pure Human Blood x100ml.]


    Lin En was about to turn back into the apothecary.


    But at that moment, a low, sinister laugh came from the darkness.


    "Young man... good morning. Do you have any useless junk for this old woman? I''ll give you a fitting reward, hehehe."


    From the darkness.


    A dim light approached, revealing an old woman hunched over, wearing tattered burlap, pulling a cart.


    Her face bore a kindly smile.


    But Lin En clearly saw.


    She held a Human Skin Lantern in her hand, and the rusty cart was attached to her hand.


    [Ding! Skin Scavenger has offered you an optional task: Give the Scavenger "Useless Junk." Optional task rewards: Scavenger Favorability +10, Skull Coins +20, Scavenger''s Reward x1]


    Lin En remained calm.


    "Sure, wait a moment."


    Lin En quickly turned back into the apothecary, grabbing two black bags from the entrance.


    A strong, bloody stench emanated from the bags, and something inside seemed to be struggling, emitting low, muffled groans.


    Lin En calmly placed the "Useless Junk" on the old woman''s cart.


    "Thank you, young man, you''re a kind soul." the smile on the old woman''s face never changed.


    She slowly extended a withered hand, gouging out two bloody eyeballs from her eye sockets. "Young man, this is your reward from the old woman."


    [Ding! You have received task rewards: Scavenger Favorability +10, Skull Coins +20!]


    [Ding! You may choose to accept the Scavenger''s reward or refuse it. Refusing will decrease Scavenger Favorability by 50.]


    Lin En looked at the steaming eyeballs, calmly reached out, and accepted them, saying: "I''ll take them, thank you."


    The old woman smiled brightly, but her empty eye sockets were particularly unsettling.


    "Good, good!"


    Then, under Lin En''s watchful gaze, the old woman pulled her cart and slowly disappeared into the darkness.


    [Ding! You have received the Scavenger''s reward: Tailor Shop Owner''s Eyeball x1, Butcher Shop Owner''s Eyeball x1, Scavenger Favorability +20]


    Lin En remained calm but secretly breathed a sigh of relief, immediately returning to the apothecary.


    He had learned from his teacher that the tailor shop dealt in human skin, the butcher shop sold human meat, and they were located just across the street from their apothecary.


    Yet, the Scavenger had the eyeballs of both shop owners.


    This was another rule he had deduced about this world.


    [Never attempt to offend those who walk in the darkness.]


    Lin En turned, maintaining a facade of calm.


    He organized the expired black-red potions on the counter, placing them in his portable potion box, and headed toward the backyard.


    Passing by the operating room, the buzzing sound of cutting continued.


    Lin En knew.


    At this time, it was best not to disturb his teacher.


    If you did, you might end up on the operating table yourself.


    Lin En arrived at the backyard.


    Opening the cellar door, a strong stench instantly assaulted him, like the acrid smell of decaying flesh and excrement.


    Hiss—hiss—


    A series of eerie sounds came from the cellar.


    Lin En knew that the creature his teacher referred to as Little Baby was kept in the cellar, but no one knew what it truly was, except for his teacher.


    Lin En poured all the potions from his box into the cellar.


    [Ding! You have received Skull Coins x10, Little Baby Favorability -10, Household Proficiency +1]


    Roar—


    Roar—


    The cellar soon echoed with anguished and furious roars, accompanied by a wave of bloodlust.


    Lin En quickly shut the cellar door.


    He breathed a sigh of relief.


    This was his daily routine since becoming the apothecary''s assistant.


    And the most crucial reason he had survived was that he listened to his teacher and only did what he was told without asking questions. Disobedient assistants had long since been dismembered by his master and fed to the Little Baby.


    Lin En calmed his mind and tentatively called out:


    "System?"


    And in the next moment, a panel suddenly appeared before Lin En''s eyes.