【This is a peculiar alternate world.】

【Vampires, werewolves, technology, magic potions, ghosts, bio-engineered humans, divination, puppets - every terrifying element you can think of exists in this world.】

【Never forget to light up whenever stepping outside.】

【Never stray too far.】

【Once you've walked past the ten-meter mark beyond the front door, the darkness outside will consume you.】

【Regardless if the patient is a human, ghost, or stitched monster, you must always remain calm.】

【If you lose your cool, it will become hostile to you.】

Before a worn-out table, Lin En held a feather quill, basking in the glow of lamplight.

He was jotting down the rules he'd learned since crossing over into this alternate world two years ago.

"Lin En! Time's up! Hang the lantern out and prepare to open the shop," a raspy voice reminiscent of bone gnawing resounded.

Shaking his head, Lin En recognized the voice as coming from the proprietor of the potion shop—the same one who'd saved him two years ago, his teacher. He was the shop boy at this potion shop, situated in an alternate world.

"They're here!" Lin En called out.

But at that moment, a cold, synthesized voice suddenly echoed in his mind.

【Ding! Your teacher, Blood-Saw Maniac, has assigned you a task: open the shop, hang the soul lantern at the door. Task rewards: 10 Skeleton Coins, 5 basic experience points, and 100 milliliters of pure human blood.】

Lin En was taken aback.

This voice, could it be...the system?

Could it be that after having traveled to this world for two years, he finally has a hit of luck on his side?

But he didn't delve into it immediately because he knew that if he didn't act as per his teacher's orders, he would die.

Lin En quickly walked out of the dim attic.

Straight off, he saw his teacher hauling a corpse of an unknown creature, split in half, towards the nearby operating room.

The bright red blood traced a long streak on the moldy floor.

Buzz-buzz--- buzz-buzz---

The shrill sound of the bone saw resonated from the operating room.

That raspy, crunching voice came again.

“After opening, sort out all the potions that expired yesterday and feed them to the little darling in the backyard. Be quick."

"Ding! Your teacher, the blood saw maniac, has issued you a task: Sort out expired potions and feed them to the 'Little Darling' in the backyard. Task completion rewards: Skeleton Coins x10, Fondness of Little Darling -10, Household Proficiency +1."

Lin En was dumbfounded.

Indeed.

His guess wasn't wrong.

This must be my own system. Could it be that it can actualize all the events I come across into system tasks?

Hearing the chewing noises coming from behind, Lin En's expression became calm and composed.

Creak- Creak-

The aged and unmaintained wooden boards underfoot emitted a jarring sound.

Lin En moved to the front hall, picked up an oil lamp from the corner, and twisted the winder. One after another, drops of crimson blood dripped from inside onto the wick.

Whoosh-

A tuft of crimson flame ignited.

If one listened carefully, they could hear faint screams of horror emanating from within the oil lamp.

Lin En retained his calm expression as he carefully opened the door.

Outside was pitch dark. A faint mist seemed to be swirling about, and occasionally, mysterious laughter could be heard coming from the darkness.

He remained calm, hung the oil lamp on the doorpost, illuminating the ragged sign next to it.

"Bloodsaw Potion Shop"

Ding! You have earned 10 Skeleton Coins, 5 Basic Experience Points, and 100 milliliters of Pure Human Blood.

Immediately, Lin En planned to turn around and head back into the Potion Shop.

But just at this moment, a low and eerie laughter echoed from the darkness.

"Young man... Good morning, do you have some useless garbage for this old woman? I'll compensate you appropriately, hehehe."

In the darkness.

Dim lights flickered, an old woman hunched over, her body clad in tattered hemp clothing, pulled a cart out.

A pleasant smile graced her face.

But Lin En could see clearly.

What she held in her hand was a human skin lantern, the rusted cart she was pulling was actually a part of her.

[Ding! The Human Skin Scavenger has issued you an optional task: give the Scavenger [Useless Garbage], optional task completion reward: Scavenger goodwill +10, Skull Coins +20, Scavenger's Reward x1.]

Lin En calmly responded, "Alright, just wait a moment."

Swiftly turning around, Lin En went back to the potion store and grabbed two black bags from the door.

Faintly, one could smell the strong stench of blood emanating from the bags. It seemed like something was struggling inside, emitting low, muffled groans.

With calm demeanor, Lin En put the [Useless Garbage] on the old woman's cart.

"Thank you, young man, you are a good person."

The smile on the old woman's face hadn't changed a bit.

She slowly stretched out her withered hand and gouged out two blood-filled eyeballs from her own eye sockets.

"Young man, this is the old woman's payment to you."

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

[Ding! You may choose to accept the reward from the Scavenger or to refuse it. If you refuse, Scavenger's Favorability -50]

Lynn looked at the two steaming eyeballs and calmly took them, saying,

"I accept, thank you."

The old woman laughed radiantly, her two hollowed-out eye sockets looked particularly terrifying.

"Good, good!"

Then, under Lynn's gaze, the old woman, pulling her cart, slowly disappeared into the darkness.

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

Lynn remained calm, but he was secretly relieved and immediately returned to the potion shop.

From his master, Lynn knew that the tailor shop cut human skin, the pork shop sold human flesh, and both were just across the road from their potion shop.

And the scavenger was holding the eyeballs of both shop owners.

This is another rule he surmised about this world.

[Never try to offend the walkers in the darkness.]

Lin En turned around, keeping his expression forcefully calm.

He sorted out bottle after bottle of the expired, dark red potions on the counter, placing them in the medicine box he carried with him, and turned to walk toward the backyard.

As he passed by the operating room, the 'blurp blurp' sound of slicing was still echoing.

Lin En knew.

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

If you go, the next one to lie on the operating table might not be certain.

Lin En arrived in the backyard.

Opening the door to the cellar, a strong stench hit his face instantly, almost like the sharp smell emitted by rotting flesh and excrement that had been there for a long time.

"Sss----Sss----"

A series of eerie sounds came from within the cellar.

Lin En knew that what was kept in this cellar was his teacher’s pet, and as for what it was, nobody knew except his teacher.

Lin En poured all the potions from the suitcase into the cellar.

"Ding! You have received 10 skeleton coins, pet favorability -10, furniture proficiency +1"

Roar---

Roar---

From within the cellar, a series of sharp and furious roars quickly emerged, accompanied by a wave of unbearable stench of blood.

Lynn quickly closed the cellar door.

He let out a sigh of relief.

This was his daily morning task after becoming the apprentice at this potion shop.

The most crucial reason for his survival, indeed the critically essential one, was that he listened to his master, only acting without questioning. Any disobedient apprentices had long been dismembered by his master and fed to this little pet.

Lynn calmed down his emotions, and tentatively prompted:

"System?"

And in the next moment, a panel suddenly appeared in front of Lynn's eyes.