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MD Chapter 21
🕑 Added 2023-11-05 04:24:03 +0000 UTCThe Blood-clad Evil Spirit sneered, sharp barbs rapidly growing from her tentacles as she icily remarked, "Oh?"
Maintaining his composure, Lynne stated, "Firstly, I'm a compassionate doctor. Likewise, I have many compassionate patients and clients. If I were to disappear, they'd miss me, and they'd be devastated. For instance, those two bald men currently fighting tooth and nail outside the alley. They're my loyal customers and dear friends."
Narrowing her eyes, the Blood-clad Evil Spirit sarcastically retorted, "Is that so? You're referring to that demon hunter and the Black Knight? You expect me to believe you..."
Before she could finish her sentence,
Click—
The distinct sound of a safety mechanism being disengaged. Lynne leisurely drew a silver revolver from his coat, aiming it at the ceiling with a smile, "You recognize this gun, don't you?"
The Blood-clad Evil Spirit was taken aback. Her eyes narrowed further as she said, "The demon hunter's revolver?!"
She was very familiar with that ostentatious demon hunter. He never parted with those twin revolvers he had brought from the upper world and cherished them greatly. How did this gun end up in Lynne's hands?
Lynne held up the revolver with a grin, "He's of my kindred, a relative who is quite fond of me. This gun was left for my protection. If I'm in danger, a single shot, and he'll immediately come to my aid. And right now, he's just outside in the alley. It won't take him long to rush over."
…
Achoo—
Outside in the alley, a certain bald individual sneezed vehemently.
…
The Blood-clad Evil Spirit narrowed her eyes, a malicious glint flashing within them.
Lynne, with a smile, tucked away the gun and then extracted a thin, curly strand of hair from his pocket.
"What's that?" the Blood-clad Evil Spirit coldly inquired.
With a hint of amusement, Lynne replied, "It's a token given to me by my Black Knight uncle. A chest hair from him, specifically, the longest and curliest one! My uncle Black Knight told me that with a gentle flick, he'd sense it and come to my aid. If you don't believe me, we can give it a try."
The Blood-clad Evil Spirit's face went blank, "Chest...hair?"
Adjusting his monocle, Lynne calmly chuckled, "Exactly. I believe you can sense its aura. Today, my uncle came for a haircut and left this strand with me. He mentioned I looked as if I was headed for trouble, and it seems he was right."
For a moment, the Blood-clad Evil Spirit was at a loss for words.
Lynne, smirking, added, "And if you know him, you'd know just how much he values his looks. Imagine someone giving him a bald cut; he'd surely kill them, wouldn't he? Why do you think I'm unharmed? Can't you see the close bond between us?"
...
Achoo—
Outside the alley, another bald individual sneezed, looking utterly baffled.
...
The Blood-clad Evil Spirit's face contorted with shock. Uncertainty filled her eyes, a whirlwind of thoughts consuming her. What he said made sense. She had clashed with that lunatic Black Knight before, and just like the demon hunter, he was equally flashy. Such a vain man would never let someone shave his head without retaliation. Then, it struck her. She remembered the unkempt, long hair that the young man had given to the scavenger not too long ago.
Could it be...
The Blood-clad Evil Spirit grew wary. Indeed, this young human running a shop in a world brimming with monsters had connections. No wonder he was so audacious.
But then...
"Wrong!" Her gaze turned dark, asserting, "Don't deceive me! Don't think I'm unaware that those two have been archenemies for centuries. If they both held such special ties with you, why on earth would they battle to the death each time they met?"
Lynne's lips curled up slightly, retorting, "Madam, are you truly so blind? Can you not discern..." Narrowing his eyes and leaning in, Lynne whispered, "They have a love-hate relationship."
...
Achoo—
Achoo—
Outside the alley, both the demon hunter and the Black Knight sneezed simultaneously.
Instantly, the demon hunter pointed a finger at the Black Knight, fuming, "I knew there was a reason I sneezed! It must be you badmouthing me in your thoughts. You're done for!"
The Black Knight clenched his teeth, his eyes aflame as he retorted, "Stop your nonsensical babbling! Clearly, you're the one casting aspersions on me in your mind! Today, I'll make sure you suffer!"
Immediately, the two bald men, with faces contorted in fury (〝▼皿▼), began fighting once more.
...
Inside the room.
The Blood-clad Evil Spirit's brows furrowed deeply, her gaze locked onto Lynne. For a moment, she hesitated, unsure of her next move. Though she felt he spoke nothing but falsehoods, that strand of chest hair and the revolver held enough weight to suggest a unique bond between him and those two.
Lynne smiled slightly, resting his chin on his hand, exuding an air of calm and poise, "Setting aside those two, there's also my master. Ask anyone and they'll tell you he's a ???-tier entity in Wandering Soul Lane. He's chainsawed countless individuals. As his sole disciple and successor, do you think my master would let his prized student perish?"
He stretched his neck, loosened his collar, and shrugged, ╮(╯▽╰)╭ stating, "Moreover, that old lady of Wandering Soul Lane is extremely fond of me, treating me as her own grandson. I still need to take care of her in her old age. Imagine her heartbreak if her clever and dutiful grandson met an untimely death~~"
[Eloquence +1]
[Eloquence +1]
[Eloquence +1]
The Blood-clad Evil Spirit gritted her teeth, watching Lynne, who seemed to grow more confident with every word. For some inexplicable reason, she felt a powerful urge to throttle him right then and there.
"By the way," Lynne shifted his tone, smiling slightly as he pulled out a piece of crystalline, gemstone-like substance from his pocket, "What does this look like to you?"
Her gaze immediately fell upon the small, white object in his hand that resembled a shard of a tooth. Her complexion changed instantly, sensing an indescribable aura emanating from it.
"This... what is this?"
The corner of Lynne's mouth curled slightly, "Unfortunately for you, madam, you should be well-acquainted with the infamous Abyssal Headhunters, shouldn't you?"
The Blood-clad Evil Spirit was taken aback, involuntarily stepping backward. Her eyes remained fixed on Lynne.
Abyssal Headhunters!
Being a creature of the Dark World, she knew all too well. They were terrifying Origin-level entities, known to wander the various realms of the Dark World, devouring countless souls and consuming the flesh of their victims wherever it went. Even the Dark World's King-level monster wouldn't dare confront such a being!
And, quite unluckily for her, the previous day saw several dark creature habitats near Wandering Soul Lane completely decimated by these headhunters. She had narrowly escaped from the jaws of one of them just the night before.
Could it be...
Adjusting his monocle with a smile, Lynne insinuated, "It seems you're aware. So, why don't you take a guess? With so many souls perishing around Wandering Soul Lane, how did the Lane itself remain untouched?"
The Blood-clad Evil Spirit stared, trembling, at the gemstone-like object in Lynne's hand and exclaimed: "This... This can't be!"
Lynne stood up with a playful smile, ╮(╯▽╰)╭ remarking: "Unfortunately for you, I happen to be that Headhunter's favorite personal dentist. She specifically visited my clinic last night. As of now, she's a VIP of the shop and has been greatly supportive of my business. Hehehe~"
The Blood-clad Evil Spirit's mind thundered. Momentarily, her thoughts went blank. If one were to speak of the previous individuals Lynne mentioned, even though she held reservations, she wouldn't genuinely fear anyone if it came to a confrontation. After all, in the Dark World, how many could truly be labeled as timid weaklings who feared the head and tail?
However...
Facing an Origin-level creature was a whole different story. For such high-tiered beings, if one were to provoke their hostility, they could employ various means to hunt her down, even if she hid in the upper worlds!
There was a past instance where a King-level lord from the Dark World had offended an Origin-level being. In merely a day, all the souls and beings in his domain were completely annihilated. Moreover, that lord became so ostracized that nobody dared shelter him. In the end, he was relentlessly pursued and killed by that Origin-level monster.
And what she couldn't fathom... Was how this seemingly frail human lad could... could possibly have such deep connections!
Lynne, looking at her slightly pale face, smiled and cradling the adorable child, said: "Madam, appearances can be deceiving. Even though I might lack in sheer power, a robust network of relationships is another form of strength. Moreover, there's truly no need for you to direct your anger at me."
Lynne stood up, pensively patted the tip of her tentacle, and (*￣︶￣) remarked: "After all, we are neighbors. Shouldn't neighbors care for each other, support each other, and keep each other warm? Moreover, you are such a beautiful and mature lady~"
[Eloquence +1]
[Eloquence +1]
The Blood-clad Evil Spirit's eyes shimmered, her teeth grinding audibly. At a glance, she recognized this guy's tactics – a classic Carrot and Stick.
But truly... She was now genuinely hesitant to take action. Leaving aside whether his words were true or not, just the shard he presented with an 'Origin level' aura made her pause and consider.
Because if it were true, then she would truly be bringing calamity upon herself.
However...
(〝▼皿▼)! She really wanted to obliterate this human lad!!
"Ah ah ah————"
She let out a frustrated scream, her flailing tendrils smacking against the surrounding walls, releasing her pent-up anger and dissatisfaction. Then, panting and still grinding her teeth, she sat on the floor, the sound of her teeth grinding clearly echoing. This feeling of suppressed rage made her feel incredibly stifled.
"Madam, please calm down."
Lynne, holding a cute child calmly, said: "The words I spoke to you during the day, while partly fabricated, weren't all meant to deceive you. Although the virtues of truth, kindness, and beauty might seem exaggerated, I genuinely did see some qualities in you that other spirits lack."
The Blood-clad Evil Spirit gritted her teeth (〃′皿`)q, "Don't think you can deceive me again! You little rascal!!"
She swore she didn't believe a word that came out of his mouth. If she could see through this lad... She would have finished him off by now!
Lynne took a deep breath and replied with a composed smile, "I haven't lied to you, madam, because you have to admit... You cherish beauty, don't you?"
The Blood-clad Evil Spirit paused, taken aback.
Lynne stood up, holding the adorable child in his arms, and smiled as he looked around, saying: "Your room is quite beautiful. Unlike those cold and nauseating rooms below, it's clear you've taken great care in decorating your own bedroom. Be it the walls, the bed, or even the furniture, everything has a refreshing feel to it, something not typical of other monsters."
He then turned around. His gaze softened as he looked at the simple vase on the windowsill, and the white flower it contained.
"I've seen this flower before. It's a Night Lily, one of the few non-toxic plants in the Dark World. It's not particularly rare, but do you think it's normal for a spirit's room to have such a flower? Moreover, it seems to be thriving under your care."
On the windowsill, the luminous white flower shimmered slightly. Radiantly beautiful.
Lynne: (￣▽￣)／[Progress +50%]
The Blood-clad Evil Spirit stared at the flower, then suddenly trembled, pointing angrily at Lynne, saying: "Don't try to sweet-talk me! That...that's just..."
"We'll set that aside for now."
Lynne's lips curved up, holding the cute child, he continued: "I have a question. If you really found your child's appearance distasteful, then tell me, why is the child dressed in such a lovely skirt and vest?"
At his words, the Blood-clad Evil Spirit's gaze shifted evasively, and she stammered: "That... that's just something I..."
In the mirror, the child's pink dress looked exceptionally cute, contrasting starkly with the grimy, revolting world outside. And it was clear that there was not a single speck of dirt on it. Plus, there were fresh stitches. It was evident that it had been recently sewn.
Lynne(￣▽￣)／said, "Come on! Admit it! I see right through you. Deep down, you find your child adorable, don't you? When you're alone, don't you wish to hug and cuddle her?"
The Blood-clad Evil Spirit's face flushed a deep red as she retorted with indignation: "I haven't! Stop making things up! Don't make wild guesses!"
Lynne responded, "Why deny it? It's a perfectly natural affection a mother would show to her daughter. And you've dressed her in such a lovely outfit; clearly, you are quite pleased with how your daughter looks now!"
"Ya-da~" The cute child (๑＞︶＜)و moved her little limbs.
The Blood-clad Evil Spirit's face reddened further, rendered speechless. However, she couldn't deny it. What he said was true. Compared to her previous twisted and broken offspring, she genuinely preferred this relatively normal and adorable child. But having it pointed out so blatantly by him was utterly embarrassing.
Lynne, with a kind expression, gently said: "Madam, I've always believed that someone who cherishes beauty at heart is also beautiful in spirit. This alone proves that you are fundamentally different from other spirits. I believe that even in the human world, you would be a very endearing lady."
Listening to Lynne's increasingly soft voice, she kept telling herself not to believe a word from this human boy. But her heart raced for some reason. She bit her lip, her gaze darting to the wall beside her.
Lynne's words echoed persistently in her mind. Because they had touched the softest part of her heart. As a spirit that had died in the human world and then revived in this dark realm, while she continuously tried to adapt to this Dark World, she couldn't forget her memories of her previous life.
She often wondered, what if she hadn't died? If she had remained that girl in the world of the living, wouldn't she have had a family by now? Seeing her daughter grow up, get married, and have children? But every time she glimpsed her twisted visage in the mirror, the horrifying reflection kept reminding her: You are dead! You are now a distorted spirit! A malevolent ghost!
[Ding! Task triggered: Resolve the Blood-clad Evil Spirit's resentment. Current progress: 11%. First phase task reward: 500 Skull Coins, 500 Experiences, Special Reward x1.]
