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Chapter 34
🕑 Added 2023-11-16 01:00:02 +0000 UTCNow we have ten chapters! I'll be posting at my normal pace next.
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[Ding! Congratulations on completing the phase mission: Blood Night. You've received Skull Coins x20,000, Experience x5,000, and a unique Special Reward: "Function: Flesh Catastrophe".]
[Ding! Your level has reached 10. A class upgrade mission has been initiated. Extra experience is temporarily stored and will be returned after the Class Change.]
After a long while, Lynne woke up, his eyes heavy with sleep. Stretching out his hand to rub his eyes, he yawned and mumbled: "Daybreak, time to open shop..."
But in that instant, the memories of the previous night flooded back like a tidal wave. His eyes shot open, and he abruptly sat up on the bed.
"Where am I...?"
He looked around in astonishment. It was an elegant bedroom, with neatly made bedding. On the windowsill sat a pristine white flower, and not far from it stood a massive floor-length mirror. His memories quickly aligned with the surroundings. He recognized it as the Blood Clad Evil Spirit's room.
"Something's not right!"
He reached out, rubbing his throbbing head, his brows furrowing. He distinctly remembered being consumed by that monster the day before, his entire body morphing into a contorted mess of flesh. But what happened after... Everything became hazy.
"Why am I here?"
Lynne swiftly threw off the blankets and stood in front of the large mirror, scrutinizing the handsome youth reflected back.
"And my body... it's perfectly intact?"
Lynne stared dubiously at his hands, feeling a profound sense of surrealism.
...
"Lynne, you're awake?!"
From the living room downstairs, the Blood Clad Evil Spirit, who was bustling in the kitchen, looked in surprise at Lynne, who was wrapped in a bedsheet and descending the stairs.
Without hesitation, she rushed over with immense relief, grabbing Lynne by the collar and pulling him close, anxiously asking: "How are you?! Is there anything wrong with your body?!"
Lynne hesitated, "What time is it now?"
"It's already the next day."
"What about that monster?"
A few minutes later. After listening to the Blood Clad Evil Spirit's account of what happened after she regained consciousness, Lynne couldn't help but frown.
"So you're saying, after you woke up, you saw that the monster's body was overrun by a malignant being, and then the monster was dismembered from the inside?"
The Blood Clad Evil Spirit stared at him, replying: "Yes, and after I dragged you out from the puppet's body, you looked just like you do now."
Images of the system prompt he'd received before losing consciousness flashed in Lynne's mind.
[Flesh Regeneration Potion]! That's it! The last system prompt had informed him that the mutation had gone completely out of control. Could it be that during the time he was unconscious, a mass of mutations grew within him? Had his mutated limbs torn the monster apart from the inside?
Lynne raised an eyebrow. But if that was the case, why was he unscathed?
"Where's the corpse of that monster?" Lynne inquired.
"It's in the backyard." The Blood Clad Evil Spirit leaned over the table and said seriously, "After pulling you out from it yesterday, I went back and brought it here. I believe such a powerful creature must hide some mystery."
Lynne immediately stood up, declaring: "Take me to see it."
...
The backyard.
Lynne crouched down, his brow furrowed as he observed the twisted and foul-smelling mass of flesh that littered the yard. The creature's shape from the day before was now barely recognizable, all that remained was a collapsed and contorted shell.
"Evidence of gnawing?"
Lynne reached out, touching the inner lining of the creature, deep in thought.
Blood Clad Evil Spirit nodded, stating, "Yes, this puppet was consumed from the inside out by something. From what I observed at the time, the only thing inside the puppet's body was..."
Her eyes settled on Lynne.
Lynne met her gaze, contemplating, "You don't suspect that I ate it, do you?"
Blood Clad Evil Spirit replied earnestly, "I can't rule out the possibility. Your mutation at that time was extreme. Some of the creatures that emerged even gave me palpitations."
Lynne's expression became even more pensive. Because if that was the case, it might be that he only appeared normal on the surface, but internally, a latent mutation had already occurred. Without any delay, he swiftly opened his basic attribute interface.
[Lynne]
[Level: 10(Ready to Class Change)]
[Race: Human·Mutant]
[Strength: 22]
[Agility: 23]
[Intelligence: 26]
[Physique: 51]
[Available Points: 4]
[Description: The eccentric apprentice of Bloodsaw Potion Shop. Capably navigates around powerful beings, maintaining excellent relationships. Though his nature as a cunning merchant remains, the commendable qualities and battle spirit he displays in times of crisis are still praiseworthy...]
"Mutant?"
While the system's unexpectedly positive introduction was heartening, the word 'mutant' caused Lynne's heart to skip a beat.
"System! Explain! Where did I mutate?!" Lynne immediately questioned in his mind. And just a moment later.
[Ding! You've triggered the mission: Body's Response. Mission Reward: Skull Coin x1000, Experience x500, Legendary Reward x1]
[Mission Introduction: Extensive use of the Flesh Regeneration Potion in a unique environment led to the host's body merging with the flesh of the puppet, resulting in a severe specific mutation.]
[Mission Objective: Identify the mutation in your body within half a day and find a method to control it.]
[Mission Failure: The mutation will completely replace the host, the process is irreversible.]
Lynne: "!!!"
I asked you where I mutated, and you gave me a mission out of nowhere?!
"System! Couldn't you just tell me directly where the mutation occurred?!"
[Ding! Please explore for yourself.]
Right now, Lynne desperately wanted to yank this system out and, after pinning it down, smack it ten thousand times.
[Ding! Please refrain from harboring malicious intentions towards the system in your thoughts. The system has provided additional assistance; please explore on your own.]
┌∩┐(◣_◢)┌∩┐ I'll give you a face. Interpret it as you will!
The next moment, under the puzzled gaze of Blood Clad Evil Spirit, Lynne suddenly stood up, turned around decisively, and said calmly: "Sorry, I have some urgent matters to handle. We'll catch up later!"
Lynne quickly darted towards the exit.
A stunned Blood Clad Evil Spirit blinked in confusion: "Eh?"
But not even five seconds after Lynne bolted out, he rushed back in, directly lifting the empty husk of the flesh puppet, holding it as he sprinted away.
"I'm taking this useless flesh to make some potions. See you later!"
"Eh?"
...
Moments later, Lynne, burdened with heaps of flesh and draped only in a bedsheet, rushed back to his apothecary shop. The main hall was a scene of devastation. After the battle from the previous day, it was an utter mess.
Without wasting a moment, Lynne quickly retrieved a soul lamp, lit it, and hung it by the doorpost before dashing into the backyard. The attic and front room were damaged beyond recognition. Yet, most of the backyard remained relatively intact.
The cellar door was ajar. Clearly, Babe had returned. But Lynne had no time for him at the moment. The urgency of his situation consumed him.
"Stay calm. Think it through," he muttered. Gathering his wits, his mind raced. "If there's a mutation within my body, surely the master must have some rare books about it..."
Without hesitation, Lynne darted to the basement. With a swift kick, he flung open the door and bolted towards his master's book vault. Ordinarily, his master would never allow him in there. But the situation was dire. He needed to find out about his body's potential mutation, and fast.
Inside the book vault, under the dim glow of a candle, Lynne, wearing a monocle, perused through a vast collection of books with fervent concentration.
"Radiation-Induced Malignant Cell Mutations"
"A Hundred Bizarre Curses Leading to Body Distortions"
"Novel: The Mutated Loli and Her Indescribable Tales with Tentacles"
"Guide: 35 Practical Methods to Tame an Evil Spirit Girl"
Lynne meticulously went through the books, salvaging them from every hidden corner, and skimmed through their contents. He read intently for over an hour.
With a soft thud, Lynne solemnly closed the book.
"Let's try the hundred methods one by one. If none works, I'll have to take a risk!"
After deep contemplation, Lynne deduced the following:
Firstly, the malignant mutation inside his body was currently dormant, or due to some peculiar reasons, it couldn't immediately awaken and finish him off. The logic was simple. If the mutation could have been revived at once, the system wouldn't have given him a half-day timed task.
Secondly, it was uncontrollable and might possess its own will.
Thirdly, the entity that hollowed out that monster should be the mutant inside him. It possessed formidable destructive power. He certainly wouldn't stand a chance against it.
Fourthly, the system provided additional assistance.
With a composed expression, Lynne promptly accessed his skill list.
[Infectious Aura] [Curse Diagnosis] [Function: Flesh Catastrophe]
Lynne's pupils constricted instantly. Yes! It was the skill he had acquired upon completing the 'Blood Night' mission.
[Function: Flesh Catastrophe]
[Quality: Unique]
[Description: A capability obtained through rigorous flesh restructuring and intense mutation. It allows the host to freely manipulate their flesh for reorganization and proliferation. The power's limit depends on the host's physique points.]
"Flesh manipulation?"
Lynne gazed deeply at his hands. It appeared that the desperate struggle against that creature last night inadvertently blessed him with a novel special ability. Regardless, he had to test its effect!
Lynne immediately closed his eyes, concentrating his will on a particular part of his body. A faint hum resonated.
In an instant, Lynne's pupils dilated dramatically. He felt it... He perceived the wondrous transformation!
Indeed! This power genuinely enabled him to reconstruct the flesh of his body at will.
"Holy shit~~ It's indeed bigger, more defined, and firmer(๑＞︶＜)و! This skill is freaking awesome! Absolutely invincible!"
No!
Lynne quickly composed himself. Now wasn't the time for weird distractions, nor for pondering peculiar applications of the skill. What mattered most was identifying the mutation within him. More importantly, it wasn't just about identifying; he had to figure out how to restrain it.
Besides, if he believed that the creature from last night was consumed by the mutation, where did all that mass of flesh go? His slender physique couldn't possibly accommodate so much flesh! Moreover, he felt it distinctly. His weight hadn't altered unusually.
"Let's assume the flesh remains within me and hasn't been metabolized, merely unnoticeable due to the mutation's unique existence," Lynne mused. "Also, since the mutant is still in my body, any abnormalities in me should affect it, since we now share a single physical form... If that's the case..."
Lynne narrowed his eyes, a dangerous glint emerging. Silently, he turned to gaze at a bottle in the corner. Faintly, one could discern the word "Pesticide" scribbled on it.
A strange silence enveloped the surroundings.
...
"Go! For! It!!"
In the next moment, Lynne, with sheer determination (艹皿艹), grabbed the pesticide bottle, yanked off the cap, and began chugging its contents!
This potion was a result of the years spent studying alchemy under his master, combined with memories from his past life, culminating in the ultimate insect repellent.
Consuming it would unquestionably induce extreme diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and an array of side effects – a rollercoaster between life and death.
But a true man! Never fears pesticide!
[Warning! Host life loss detected, acquired abnormal buff: Pesticide Poisoning]
Lynne, seizing the brief window while he still could move, dashed into the alchemy room. He rummaged through shelves and cabinets, gathering all the expired potions he had hoarded and not yet fed to Babe.
Narrowing his eyes, Lynne snapped open a bottle. Instantly, tendrils of smoke shaped like skulls wafted from the bottle. The effects of these months-old expired concoctions remained a mystery even to him.
Yet...
"Go for it!"
Gritting his teeth, Lynne tilted his head back, guzzling one potion after another.
[Warning! Host acquired abnormal buff: Severe Itching]
[Warning! Host acquired abnormal buff: Serious Skin Rashes]
[Warning! Host acquired abnormal buff: Viral Spread]
The system's alarms kept ringing in his ears. Lynne's reasoning was straightforward. If the mutation was integrated with him and, presuming it had its own consciousness, he could surely use this life-threatening approach to lure it out. Now, it would be a test of whose will was stronger!
Without further ado, Lynne swiftly fetched a heap of ingredients from the storage, fervently flipping through his master's alchemy book. With a determined look (艹皿艹), he began tossing various components into the cauldron as he referenced the tome.
Bubbles gurgled. In the roaring flame, the alchemical cauldron soon foamed in a medley of colors.
Lynne's sinister smile, his eyes gleaming with a touch of madness, stared intently at the bubbling potion. The kaleidoscopic luminescence cast eerie shadows across his face, making him appear all the more terrifying.
[Ding! You have concocted a Deadly Plague Potion x1]
[Ding! You have concocted a Severe Weakness Potion x1]
[Ding! You have concocted a Malignant Virus Potion x1]
[Your Alchemy Experience +1]
[Your Alchemy Experience +1]
...
