Almost simultaneously, Lin En heard a prompt from the system in his ear.


    [Ding! You have slain a Flesh Deceiver x1, earning 100 experience points.]


    Hearing the system''s prompt, Lin En finally felt relieved.


    So, that means...


    The monster just now wasn''t completely dead. It only died after he stabbed it over a hundred times.


    Lin En wiped the blood off his knife, feeling a twinge of guilt.


    Because he knew.


    His teacher would definitely not come back at this time, and even if it really was his teacher, he would still have to stab, because if it were him outside, his teacher would stab him too.


    But it seems tonight will indeed be a sleepless night.


    It''s just past midnight, and already a monster has come knocking. Who knows what will happen in the latter half of the night.


    Lin En stood up.


    He was about to clean the bloodstains on the ground.


    But just then.


    [Warning! Warning! A root-level monster is approaching! Crisis level 100%!]


    Lin En froze instantly, but he reacted quickly, almost immediately pressing himself against the outer wall, staring intently at the door from the side, holding his breath.


    Root-level?!


    What the hell is going on?!


    Could it be the big guy that the Demon Hunter mentioned would appear tonight?!


    And at the next moment.


    He suddenly felt a huge chill spreading from his skin.


    Then Lin En immediately saw with wide eyes.


    The hand of the flesh monster that had reached into the doorframe suddenly moved.


    Then, as if something had yanked it out forcefully, that rotten hand instantly withdrew.


    Without a word.


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Lin En slashed the vengeful spirit hair hanging from the beam.


    Whoosh—


    A chilling mist seeped in through the hole in the door.


    Lin En held his breath.


    In the faint distance.


    He could hear a series of chewing sounds coming from outside.


    Like chewing on ribs.


    Crunch, crunch.


    So, that means the root-level monster is now on the street outside, and this level of chill is something he''s encountering for the first time. The Demon Hunter wasn''t lying; tonight is definitely not peaceful outside.


    Damn it!


    Could he really be this unlucky?!


    Did he actually encounter it?!


    And just then.


    A series of massive thudding sounds came from outside the door.


    Thud—


    Thud—


    As if something enormous was slowly moving along the street.


    And it was getting closer.


    Closer!


    And at the next moment, just as the sound was less than a few meters from the shop''s door, it abruptly stopped.


    Lin En immediately held his breath.


    Vaguely.


    Lin En saw a beam of light shooting in through the gap created by the flesh monster.


    Lin En was certain that the light.


    Was the gaze of that unknown monster.


    Lin En stood motionless like a statue against the wall, and at this moment, just a meter away from him, through the hole in the doorframe.


    A massive eye was peering inside through the small hole.


    Lin En could even hear his own heartbeat.


    Slurp—


    Slurp—


    A licking sound came from outside the door.


    [Sanity Value -1]


    [Sanity Value -1]


    Lin En stared, not daring to move.


    But for some reason, he found the slurping sound oddly cute.


    Like a little Lolita squatting in front of you, then slurp slurp...


    But just then, Lin En suddenly saw a blood-red, tongue-like tentacle slowly probing through the small hole.


    [Sanity Value -40!]


    No! Take back what I just said!


    This has absolutely nothing to do with being cute!


    Lin En (ΩДΩ) didn''t dare move.


    Then, under his watchful gaze, the blood-red tentacle licked up every drop of blood on the inside of the door panel.


    Then, as if unsatisfied, the tentacle slowly extended toward Lin En.


    Slurp—


    Slurp—


    Like a tongue, the tentacle left trails of licks on Lin En''s face.


    Lin En was dumbfounded, his whole body stiff.


    His Sanity Value plummeted.


    If it had been two years ago, or if it were any other human, in this situation, they would have screamed and fled.


    But Lin En was not an ordinary person.


    He knew very well that in this situation, if he dared to run or showed any hint of panic or fear, he would immediately be eaten by the monster outside the door.


    But just then, a voice like a baby''s came from outside the door.


    "Doctor—found you—"


    Lin En''s heart skipped a beat.


    And in the next moment, the voice came again.


    "Open the door—my tooth hurts—"


    Lin En (?Д?)??


    Eh...


    Something''s not right!


    Something''s not right!


    Could it be that the monster outside the door isn''t here to eat him, but to see a doctor?!


    Lin En forced himself to calm down, glaring as he said:


    "But our shop... doesn''t serve customers at night..."


    That''s the shop''s rule.


    As the teacher''s only apprentice, following the rules has always been his greatest virtue!


    If it says no customers at night, then no customers at night!


    "No customers—then I''ll eat you—"


    "Coming."


    Lin En quickly pulled out the key, unlocked the door, and opened it in one swift motion.


    "Blood Saw Apothecary sincerely at your service."


    Lin En bowed a perfect ninety degrees.


    "Our shop adheres to the fine tradition of curing illnesses with medicine and surgery. How may I assist you?"


    Whoosh—


    A chilling breath rushed in from outside the door.


    And upon seeing the full appearance of the monster outside, Lin En''s heart raced, and his Sanity Value plummeted even more! Because damn it, what kind of monster is this?!


    [Sanity Value -20]


    [Sanity Value -20]


    To be precise.


    It was a human head.


    A baby’s head as tall as a two-story building.


    No torso.


    From the neck extended countless snake-like red tentacles.


    Those enormous eyes were like searchlights, casting two beams of pale white light.


    And Lin En''s vision instantly displayed its panel.


    [???]


    [Level]: ???


    [Race]: ???


    [Combat Ability]: Run!


    [Description]: If you hear a baby''s laughter in the dark, if you see pure eyes in despair, do not respond, for it is not hope, but the abyss...


    Lin En''s heart (?Д?).


    But he forcibly maintained a calm expression.


    Because he knew, if he dared to run now, he would be eaten without a doubt!


    Stay calm! You must stay calm!


    Just treat it as an ordinary customer! Lin En, you can do it!


    Creak—


    The gigantic baby head slowly opened its mouth, and instantly, a foul stench almost made Lin En faint.


    "Toothache—Doctor—"


    A tremendously gigantic, creepy baby head, yet it spoke with a delicate child''s voice.


    And that row of blood-dripping sharp teeth was so eerie it could instantly empty one''s Sanity Value.


    "If you can''t cure it—I''ll eat you—"


    [Lin En Sanity Value -10]


    Eh?


    Why does this voice sound unexpectedly cute?