"Doctor—amazing—"
The enormous baby head emitted a delicate voice.
Those two gigantic eyes focused on Lin En.
"I—won''t eat you—"
[???''s trust in you +40]
Lin En adjusted his monocle and bowed at a perfect ninety degrees, revealing a professional, radiant smile.
"Praise from our customers is always a solid motivation for us to move forward. Would you like to try our store''s latest dental care service?"
Lin En blinked.
It was rare to encounter a super monster that had a favorable impression of him.
If he didn''t seize this opportunity to make it a returning customer, wouldn''t that be insane?
"Dental—care?"
The monster''s voice was filled with curiosity.
Lin En smiled and said, "Yes, our store can provide long-term dental maintenance, clear any oral diseases, and keep your teeth clean and healthy, preventing toothaches, mouth ulcers, and tooth loss."
"Eh—"
Lin En earnestly suggested, "Why don''t you try it first? If you''re satisfied after the experience, you can decide whether to become our long-term member."
The enormous baby head seemed to be pondering.
Then Lin En received a positive response.
[Ding! You have triggered a new task: Help ??? with dental care, task reward: 50 Skull Coins, ???''s favorability +50]
(?＞︶＜)?
Exactly!
This is the effect I wanted!
In the Otherworld, having more friends means more paths!
If you don''t build a good relationship with a monster of this level, you''d be out of your mind.
Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.
"Hold on!"
Without a second thought, Lin En dashed back to the shop, grabbed various cleaning tools he used for house chores, and rushed back to its mouth, starting to clean out the various severed limbs stuck between its teeth.
[Ding! You have obtained 15 unknown creature limbs]
[Ding! You have obtained 54 strange organs]
[Ding! You have obtained 31 broken skulls]
[Ding! You have obtained 132g of gold]
[Ding! You have obtained 1 Superior Enchanted Armor (damaged)]
The more Lin En cleaned, the more shocked he became.
Because this place was damn near a treasure trove!
After thoroughly cleaning out the severed limbs from the monster''s mouth, under the curious gaze of that eye, Lin En quickly dashed to his store''s warehouse, brought out barrels of materials, and swiftly mixed them in the middle of the hall.
"What is this?" The eye radiated curiosity.
Lin En stirred the slime in the large barrel with a stick and explained:
"Dark Slime''s mucus, which can produce a lot of foam, combined with saponin for its antibacterial and refreshing effects, and my teacher''s special whitening wound cleansing potion, can keep your teeth bright and your breath fresh!"
[???''s trust in you +20]
"Amazing—"
The eye blinked in awe.
Though it didn''t fully understand, it was definitely impressive.
Soon, the "Dark World Toothpaste" was ready.
Lin En (艹皿艹) fetched a large brush from the backyard, carried the bubbling slime bucket, and jumped into the monster''s mouth to begin his diligent tooth-brushing work.
"Can I—help—"
The eye watched Lin En''s brushing work with curiosity, eager to try.
Because it was truly novel.
"Here."
Lin En generously brought out a bunch of small brushes from the shop.
The tentacles immediately mimicked Lin En, each holding a brush, curiously dipping into the slime, brushing while glancing over with the eye, imitating Lin En''s actions.
"Brush like this, then like this, and then like this!"
"Oh oh—"
[???''s trust in you +10]
"Also clean out the dirt between the teeth to prevent infections!"
"Oh oh—"
[???''s trust in you +10]
The cleaning continued for a whole hour.
[Ding! You have completed the task, you received 50 Skull Coins, ???''s favorability +50]
Hearing the system prompt, Lin En, drenched in sweat, put down the brush and sat on the steps, a satisfied smile on his face after the hard work.
"Doesn''t your mouth feel completely renewed compared to before?"
Ding—
The shiny, white teeth reflected a dazzling brightness.
"Mm—"
The eye showed a (?ω?) sparkling expression.
Compared to the previous bloody yellow teeth, it was a complete transformation! Clean and bright as if newly born!
With such shiny teeth, no matter what you chew, it makes you hungry!
"Were you satisfied with today''s service?"
"Yes—"
"Would you like to become a lifetime member of our store? You can come for free dental cleaning anytime!"
"Yes—"
"May I know your name? So I can register it, and next time you visit, you can receive a special golden membership card and a small gift."
"What is—a name?"
"It''s what other creatures call you."
"No—name—"
"How about I give you one for free?"
"Okay—"
[Ding! You have successfully given a true name "Xiao Xiao" to a Root-Level Monster, earning the exclusive achievement: Root Namer!]
[Root Namer]: As the first human in the history of the dark world to name a ??? Root-Level Monster, and have it gladly accept, you have made history. The host permanently gains: Root Monster Affinity +1, Monster Affinity +10, Curse Timed Removal Ability x1
...
"Thank you for visiting our store, we look forward to serving you again."
Lin En bowed at a perfect ninety degrees to the Root-Level Monster, happily bouncing away with its shiny teeth towards the end of the street.
He kept smiling as he watched the ultimate monster leave.
Lin En quickly dashed into the Apothecary, grabbed a hammer and nails, and hammered the door shut, his heart pounding wildly.
Only then did he completely relax.
Though everything seemed harmonious on the surface, as a human facing such a terrifying monster, claiming not to be scared would be a lie.
"Luckily, I have a strong mental fortitude, otherwise, I wouldn''t have survived tonight!"
Lin En sighed in relief, wiping the sweat off his forehead.
But fortunately, he managed to win the favor of that Root-Level Monster with his excellent eloquence and medical skills.
Lin En was well aware.
In this dark world, Root-Level Monsters are akin to max-level bosses in online games.
Any one of them is not something ordinary monsters can contend with.
"And it feels like there''s more than one."
Lin En stared wide-eyed, trying to calm his heartbeat.
Because it was obvious.
The Demon Hunter must have followed these Root-Level Monsters here, but he hadn''t shown up in Wandering Soul Alley, which meant there were definitely other high-risk, powerful monsters in the surrounding area.
And luckily, this time he encountered a "benevolent" Root Monster that could communicate.
Otherwise, like those Steel Puppets, being crushed would definitely have been his fate.
"Indeed, having a skill can sometimes be a lifesaver."
Lin En murmured.
After all, skilled individuals are always in demand, no matter where they are.