《Demon Hunter and His Cabin》 Chapter 1 - Demon Hunter and His Cabin Demon Hunter and His Cabin Author: To the side ? WebNovel Chapter 1: Chapter 001 Cheat Codes ¡°Where am I?¡± The icy seawater slapped against his face, and as it took him by surprise, the fishy, salty water flooded into his mouth and nearly choked Roger; he frantically moved his body. The dark sea was a turmoil of wind and rain. ¡°Is this a dream?¡± ¡°I clearly remember sightseeing around the Skellige Archipelago in the game, how did I end up in such a place in the blink of an eye?¡± ¡°Could it be that I¡¯ve crossed over into the world of the game?¡± Roger¡¯s face was stricken with horror. He was well aware that in the game world he was engrossed in, productivity was low, and most importantly, it was rife with monsters, hardly a match for the comfort of cola, fried chicken, and video games. Although he didn¡¯t know what had happened, the cold water and the very real sense of touch were constantly reminding him that everything in front of his eyes was true. His vision obscured by wind and rain, Roger could only make out a faint light in the distance; without another thought, he mustered all his remaining strength to swim toward it. Crack! Lightning streaked across the sky, and the waves nearly knocked him unconscious, but thankfully he was moving in the same direction as the wind, or else he might have died swimming without ever getting close to that distant light. Finally, before his strength completely ran out, Roger was washed ashore by the waves; in the darkness, he seemed to hit a rock and the world spun around him as he collapsed onto the beach. His head was heavy and throbbing, and as he struggled to get up, he found himself too weak; a figure loomed in the darkness, and Roger strained to open his eyes, reaching out his right hand for help. Then, an unstoppable exhaustion overwhelmed him, and everything went black as he completely lost consciousness. Before passing out, he saw that the other person was holding a hunting shotgun and had a shiny harpoon hooked to his waist! ¡­¡­ Suddenly, the downpour cleared. The sun rose from the horizon, freshening up the storm-washed island with its light. Not long after waking up, Roger confirmed something. He had transmigrated, unsure of where he was, but it was clear that this body he was in now did not belong to him. ¡°Did I die suddenly from staying up all night?¡± Truth be told, Roger wasn¡¯t even clear about what had happened before; he sat up, looking around, and only when he saw some slightly outdated modern equipment did he quietly breathe a sigh of relief. ¡°At least it¡¯s still a modern civilized society.¡± The space around him wasn¡¯t large, with all sorts of items piled up together in a complete mess, looking like a storeroom. His head had been crudely bandaged, and apart from feeling a bit groggy, he was mostly fine now, just that his stomach was empty and he felt somewhat listless. As Roger was pondering his situation, suddenly thudding footsteps came from the spiral staircase above. Following that, a burly, densely bearded Caucasian man carrying a plate descended. ¡°Thank you for rescuing me last night,¡± Roger said. But as he spoke, he was surprised to hear fluent English rolling off his tongue, with a bit of an accent. In his previous life, his English had been passable, barely enough for a conversation with foreigners, but nowhere near as smooth as now. Bang! The burly man placed the plate on the table. His dense beard concealed most of his face, making it hard to discern his age, but from the visible skin, he appeared to be around 40. Accustomed to physical work, he looked immensely strong, like an adult compared to a child next to Roger¡¯s current physique. ¡°Eat up and then leave this place!¡± The man¡¯s voice was as cold as the stones in the sea. Roger felt somewhat awkward, his questions stuck in his throat, but at that moment, he was truly famished, and started to wildly stuff the food on the plate into his mouth. The Burly Man didn¡¯t leave; he just stood in front of the stairs, expressionlessly watching Roger. After padding his stomach a bit, the hunger subsided somewhat, and Roger squeezed out another smile. ¡°Thank you for saving me. My name is Roger, what¡¯s yours?¡± ¡°Roger?¡± A trace of change appeared on the Burly Man¡¯s face. ¡°That¡¯s a really dirty name.¡± ¡°Looks like your father had high hopes for you when he gave you that name.¡± Roger¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment. This was naturally his real name, it¡¯s just that ¡®Â޽ܡ¯ sounded somewhat similar to ¡®Roger,¡¯ and well, ¡®Roger¡¯¡­ ¡°Ha ha.¡± Roger laughed awkwardly, but this little episode somewhat closed the distance between them. ¡°May I ask where this is?¡± Roger asked, taking the opportunity. ¡°An island,¡± the man answered curtly. It was then that some noises seemed to come from upstairs, causing the man¡¯s expression to change. ¡°Are you done eating?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re done, get going!¡± He almost brutally pulled Roger from the bed and then shoved him down the stairs; the guy was really strong, Roger estimated that if he were just a bit slower, what awaited him would probably be a fist. Confused, Roger was shoved out the door, and he only then realized that the room he had just been in was a level inside a lighthouse. After exiting the metal door, a beautiful island appeared before him. Lush trees, the distant azure sea blending with the horizon¡ªit made Roger, who had always lived in the concrete jungle in his past life, feel a bit better. ¡°Wait there!¡± The man instructed Roger before closing the metal door. It wasn¡¯t long before he came back out, this time with a bundle of luggage in his hand. ¡°Come with me!¡± After locking the iron door and hanging the key around his neck, the man pulled Roger along as they walked towards the distance. The island wasn¡¯t large; at its center stood the white lighthouse Roger had just come out of, its wall coating peeling off, evidently quite old. Who would live in such a godforsaken place? Despite his confusion, Roger, being new, dared not ask too many questions and could only follow the man ahead. They were at a relatively high position from which they could see most of the island; it wasn¡¯t really big, just a few kilometers across. Before he could take a closer look, Roger was hurried by the man to the edge of a small grove. On the clearing in front of the grove was a somewhat dilapidated cabin. Handing the stuff to Roger, ¡°From now on, you¡¯ll live here.¡± ¡°I will bring you some food later; don¡¯t wander off, the weather here is unpredictable, and don¡¯t go to the seaside at night.¡± Seeming to know what Roger was about to ask, the man continued, ¡°The storm has disrupted the communications at sea.¡± ¡°However, a supply ship will land in a month, and I¡¯ll notify you then. You can leave by boat at that time.¡± Having said that, the man left without looking back. Roger stood there, dumbfounded; he even forgot to say thanks and ask some questions. Because before his eyes, a line of eerie text appeared. ¡°Found a dilapidated seaside cabin, initiate assimilation?¡± ¡°Upon successful assimilation, relocation will be impossible before the next upgrade.¡± Holy crap, is this the legendary transmigration golden finger? Chapter 2 - Chapter 2: Chapter 002: Special Bed Chapter 2: Chapter 002: Special Bed Roger repeatedly confirmed several times, trying to calm himself down; he had to make sure everything before him was not an illusion. Taking several deep breaths, he didn¡¯t assimilate immediately; he knew nothing about this world, and linguistically, the opportunity for assimilation seemed extremely precious¡ªit even mentioned issues with relocation. ¡°What if there¡¯s a better option?¡± Roger was somewhat hesitant. He was too excited at the moment, and he needed to find something to do to completely cool his mind down. He walked into the cabin with his luggage. The interior really lived up to the word ¡°dilapidated,¡± asides from an intact bed, the rest of the wooden furniture was basically stripped bare. The cabin was divided into several rooms¡ªkitchen, bathroom, living room, and lounge. In addition to these, Roger also saw a makeshift bookshelf in one room. Clearly, the original owner of the small cabin must have been someone eager to learn. Of course, the bookshelf was also completely empty. After checking around several times, Roger discovered that although the structure of the cabin seemed intact, many pieces were missing from the roof, and there were lots of leaks throughout. ¡°So, am I supposed to renovate this myself?¡± Although he had done many jobs in his previous life, repairing houses was obviously not one of them. ¡°It would be nice to live in the lighthouse.¡± However, Roger only thought about it for a moment¡ªthe man had saved his life. Besides, if he hadn¡¯t seen it wrong, that man clearly had a gun in his hand. He could only slowly try to make his presence felt and see if he could get some help from him. After spending a whole morning¡¯s effort, Roger cleaned up the trash and dust inside the cabin. During that time, the man came over once again, bringing Roger some rice, flour, canned goods, and some compressed vegetables. He also told Roger that there was freshwater not far behind the forest; after giving a few instructions, the man seemed to be in a hurry and promptly left. Feeling still somewhat dizzy and lacking in strength, Roger ate some canned food at midday, took a brief rest, and then went for a walk in the forest not far behind him. He didn¡¯t go far, just familiarized himself with the terrain; after finding the spring, he returned to the cabin. After much consideration, he decided to activate his special ability right there. Roger had thought about leaving this place to find somewhere better, but what worried him more was whether he would close the door to activating his special abilities forever after this refusal. If that was the case, he would be at a big loss. ¡°It¡¯s no big deal staying on the island for some more time; I know nothing about this world, staying here may be a sort of protection in disguise.¡± Roger thought silently; meanwhile, he controlled his thoughts and chose to assimilate the cabin. Instantly, a strange feeling rose from his heart; it seemed as if some inexplicable force connected him with the cabin. This feeling was bizarre, not a fusion, but more like a symbiosis. There were no flashy light and shadow effects; everything was completed in an instant, except for a cabin model that appeared in Roger¡¯s mind. He tried to control his thoughts and clicked on it. Dilapidated Seaside Cabin: Level: 0 It possesses the most basic construction; it can barely be used for rest and maintaining ordinary life. The only piece of furniture is a wooden bed. The commendable part is the independent study room, but sadly, there is no knowledge in it. Completeness: 79% Please repair it as soon as possible to unlock all of the cabin¡¯s functions. Energy-restoring Wooden Bed: No matter how tired you are, as long as you rest on it for more than eight hours, you will be rejuvenated and ready to resume as a female sorceress¡¯s reaper. Roger actively shielded the last sentence; on this deserted island, it was just him and a man as strong as a bear. ¡°What a strange ability.¡± Feeling a surge of surprise in his heart, Roger sat on the bed and carefully felt it, but he didn¡¯t notice anything unusual. Seeing the completeness displayed on the cabin¡¯s information, an idea popped into Roger¡¯s mind. ¡°If I repair this cabin completely, could it possibly have some additional functions?¡± No sooner thought than done. However, after tidying up around the place, Roger helplessly realized that he was a good woman without rice¡ªit was hard to cook without rice. He didn¡¯t have a hammer, nails, or saw, besides the broken planks he had cleared out from the room. With no other choice, Roger closed the door and quickly walked toward the lighthouse. The clothes he wore should belong to that man, vastly oversized, making Roger look like a ridiculous monkey. ¡°My body couldn¡¯t still be underage, could it?¡± There were hardly any roads on the island, and that man did not seem like a diligent person. It had just rained last night, so the ground was mired in mud everywhere. Thud, thud, thud! The iron gate at the lighthouse remained firmly shut. Roger knocked on the door, but no one answered. ¡°Is anyone there?¡± He called out, then knocked on the door again. ¡°Could he have gone out?¡± Roger was puzzled, but just as he was about to leave, the iron gate suddenly opened, and the man¡¯s robust frame blocked the doorway, looking at Roger with a face full of caution. ¡°What do you want?¡± He was panting, with a trace of sweat on his face. Had he walked too hastily? ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°I was wondering if you have a hammer, nails, or tools like that?¡± Roger asked. ¡°The house is leaking everywhere, and I have to stay here for a month. I need to fix it before the next thunderstorm, or it will be unlivable.¡± Roger peered into the house, hoping for the other¡¯s help. The man blocked Roger¡¯s line of sight. He hesitated for a moment, then nodded. ¡°Wait here.¡± After saying that, he closed the door and trudged upstairs. Roger tried pulling on the doorknob. As expected, it had been locked by the other party. This guy, either he¡¯s a loner who dislikes interacting with others, or he¡¯s hiding some secret. Roger became cautious. In movies from his previous life, there were many who courted death due to curiosity and ended up losing their lives. ¡°Once I get the tools, I¡¯ll stay away from the lighthouse. I¡¯ll minimize contact with him before the supply ship arrives,¡± Roger thought silently. He was curious indeed, but he did not want to court trouble. Since the other party had been willing to save him, his nature couldn¡¯t be all bad. It was best not to court death. Just then, the iron gate opened, and the man came out, carrying a small wooden box. ¡°Everything you asked for is in here.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not here, I don¡¯t have it,¡± He seemed to imply that he did not wish for Roger to disturb him again. The rice and flour he¡¯d left for Roger was enough to last a month. ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± ¡°If you need to use any tools, you can come to my place anytime¡­¡± ¡°I have spares,¡± the man said coldly, and without waiting for Roger to respond, he set about closing the iron gate. ¡°Wait!¡± Upon hearing Roger¡¯s voice, the man¡¯s expression suddenly changed. His eyes widened, and a ferocious aura rushed towards Roger. ¡°What are you planning to do?¡± The man stared at Roger as fiercely as a wild beast ready to attack at any moment. Roger¡¯s throat moved as he swallowed non-existent saliva. Confronting the intense pressure, he managed to squeeze out a warm smile on his face. ¡°Sir, I mean no harm.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just too boring being alone on this island. I just need a few books.¡± ¡°Just a few will do,¡± Roger answered while feigning calm. Chapter 3 - Chapter 3: Chapter 003: 100% Completion! Chapter 3: Chapter 003: 100% Completion! Carrying a small wooden box and several books, Roger left the lighthouse. Until he had walked far away, Roger felt as if a gaze from the lighthouse lingered on him. With a helpless shake of his head, his last request was not just for entertainment. The entire island was desolate, inhabited only by himself and that old man, and Roger knew nothing about this strange world. He urgently needed to acquire some information from the outside world, even if it was only a word or two, and he could only obtain this knowledge from books. The wooden cabin he now lived in might have belonged to that man a long time ago, as the empty bookshelf reminded Roger. He had specifically expressed interest in history and geography, so most of the few books he received were related to these subjects. Upon returning to the wooden cabin, Roger placed the few books he had on the bookshelf, but he wasn¡¯t in a hurry to start reading them. At present, the most urgent task was to repair the dilapidated cabin. The weather at sea was unpredictable, and although there had been a storm yesterday, no one knew when the next storm would arrive. The peculiar behavior of that man had made Roger inwardly alert, and now, even if the man invited him to stay at the lighthouse, Roger probably would not accept. ¡°This is a big project.¡± Roger shook his head helplessly, as the number of wooden planks he had was limited and not enough to fully repair the entire cabin. Climbing up to the roof to inspect it, he found several major leaks. After some consideration, Roger made a decision. Fixing the leaks was the most important issue. He took nails and a hammer from the toolbox, and following the previous repair pattern, nailed all the wooden planks he had in his hands into place. For the areas where he did not have enough planks, he resorted to the practice of robbing Peter to pay Paul, removing unimportant parts from inside the cabin and the door to fix the roof. He worked until sunset and had barely finished, which brought the integrity of the small wooden cabin from 79% to 84%. The extra part was actually just the planks he had nailed on, and his wall-dismantling actions were clearly not included in the calculation. ¡°It should¡­ no longer leak.¡± Wiping off sweat, Roger nodded with satisfaction. He was sweating profusely, utterly exhausted. He made some food and wolfed it down hungrily. An overwhelming tiredness swept over him, and after a simple cleanup, he collapsed into bed as the sun set. There were no large animals on the island, and there was nothing to worry about regarding the man in the lighthouse. Now that he was weak and the other had a gun, if that person really wanted to do something to him, Roger would not be able to resist. In a daze, Roger fell asleep. A night passed without incident. When he awoke in the early morning, Roger immediately experienced an unprecedented sense of refreshment. His mind was clear, his fatigue from yesterday gone, and his body seemed to possess endless strength. ¡°Is this the special effect of the wooden bed?¡± ¡°It really is a miraculous thing.¡± Inspired, Roger gained boundless confidence in his future life. After breakfast, he took his tools and went into the woods behind him; the remaining timber needed his personal touch. After wandering around the woods for a while, he indeed found several dead trees. These trees were not very big, and after chopping down their rotten roots, Roger dragged the dead wood back to the clearing in front of the cabin with a rope. With his skills, it was naturally impossible to do any fine processing, so after chopping and sawing, he spent the whole morning producing several irregularly shaped pieces of wood. After lunch, he took a short rest and didn¡¯t continue working, as his physical condition was poor and continuing would be inefficient. So, he decided to flip through the several books he had brought back from the lighthouse instead. For the entire afternoon, Roger stayed indoors, skimming through the book in his hand, and gained some understanding of the world he now inhabited. This place should still be Earth as the geographical layout had not changed drastically, but there were significant differences in specific distribution and cultural heritage. Some countries and regions familiar to him from his past life were missing, replaced by unfamiliar places. This mix of familiarity and estrangement made it more difficult for Roger to understand. Seeing those familiar names, he would subconsciously try to match them with areas from his former life, but even with the same names, the differences between the two could be substantial. The country he was now in should have been America from his previous life, but Roger could not figure out the exact location; the technological level was roughly equivalent to around the turn of the millennium in his former world. As for the specific historical progress, it was vastly different, and Roger had no desire to pay attention to these details. He could not come up with any plausible lies right now, so if anyone asked, he would blame all his problems on memory loss. Taking advantage of the daylight, Roger hurried to get some work done. His only source of light was a not-very-bright kerosene lamp, which could not be expected to do much on this desolate island. As darkness fell completely, Roger stopped his work. Seeing the progress of repairs increase to 91%, he showed a satisfied smile. After dinner, sitting on a tree stump in front of the wooden house, Roger felt an especially strong nostalgia for the leisurely life of his previous world. While he wasn¡¯t particularly wealthy or noble, he was better off than many. He would normally be gearing up for a rich nightlife about now. But what about now? Looking at his calloused hands, he shook his head helplessly and went to rest. Life went on without any change, reading books and repairing the house. After two more days, Roger finally finished fixing up the wooden house completely. When he drove in the last nail, a warm surge inexplicably flowed through his body, and the mental blueprint of the wooden house emitted a faint glow which he touched with his thoughts. Rudimentary Seaside Wooden House: Level: 0 A shabby dwelling that only satisfies basic living needs, with nothing but a bed and no other furniture. Special Area¡ªBook Room, unlocked. Additional bonuses: None. Please upgrade as soon as possible to unlock more functions. That was all the information. Roger blinked, ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the newbie gift pack?¡± ¡°The lottery system?¡± ¡°I worked myself to the bone for three days, and all it gave me was a book room?¡± ¡°Is this wooden house aimed at nurturing a scholarly elite? Does it hope that I study and train every day, soon to become the overlord of academics?¡± From the outside, the wooden house seemed unchanged, but after circling it a few times, Roger did notice some differences. To be honest, his repairs had been quite rough, haphazardly done, and messy, but when the completeness reached 100%, the house seemed to have improved itself, appearing much more solid and sensible. With the last bit of hope, Roger went to the book room. Here he finally found the biggest difference. A few books had unexpectedly appeared on the once empty bookshelf. Suppressing the excitement in his heart, he reached out and pulled one of them off the shelf. Chapter 4 - Chapter 4: Chapter 004 Demon Hunter Chapter 4: Chapter 004 Demon Hunter ¡°` ¡°Basic Herbalism.¡± ¡°What is this thing?¡± Seeing the book in his hands, Roger couldn¡¯t help but frown as he suppressed the curiosity in his heart and opened the book. Realistic herb patterns and detailed characteristics of the herbs caught his eye, and he patiently continued to flip through it, quickly recognizing some familiar terms. White Gomphrena, Dandelion, Moon Rose Petals, Buckthorn, Blood Moss, Horn Moss, Mandala. Roger¡¯s eyelids twitched as he read; he was all too familiar with these herbs¡¯ names, having once collected them madly in the game. A thought crossed his mind, and holding back the ecstasy in his heart, he pulled out another book. ¡°Monster Manual¡± The cover of the book bore the familiar Demon Hunter insignia, but upon opening the book, the hefty volume was completely blank, not a single picture or word found from beginning to end, despite Roger¡¯s thorough search. Does it mean that those legendary monsters don¡¯t exist in this world, or is it simply because I haven¡¯t encountered them? A worry rose in Roger¡¯s heart, but was quickly replaced by a strong sense of curiosity. He pulled out another book. ¡°Basic Alchemy Notes¡± The content on the cover filled him with elation; in the game world, the powerful alchemy was practically an official bug¡ªif this could be used in reality¡­ But flipping through the thick book, he found that only the beginning portion had text, and the rest was just blank pages. ¡°Does it need to be unlocked?¡± Roger seemed to understand something, but he wasn¡¯t disappointed. Even if all the formulas were told to him now, without materials, the most powerful formulas wouldn¡¯t work. And even if, by some stroke of luck, he did make a powerful potion, would he dare to drink it? Alchemy potions are all toxic. Having confirmed his suspicions, a surge of elation filled Roger¡¯s heart. The few books in the study opened up a whole new door for him; by following this path, he was certain he could obtain strength far beyond that of ordinary people! Demon Hunter. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Roger nodded thoughtfully. While pondering, he opened the last book on the bookshelf. This book was thinner than the others, and on opening it, the title page bore a line of clear, large print: Nivagard¡¯s Basic Body Strengthening Technique! Roger eagerly flipped through it, looking to improve his strength and survival abilities¡ªthis was precisely what he urgently needed now. ¡°A powerful empire cannot exist without a strong army. This is the basic training that Nivagard soldiers must practice before enlisting. Only by completing this training and acquiring a strong physique can one become a qualified soldier of the empire.¡± The book detailed a breathing technique that, when combined with special physical techniques, could significantly enhance a person¡¯s physical condition in a very short time. Beyond the Body Strengthening Technique, there was also a description of a Basic Combat Technique. Flipping further and not finding swordsmanship was a huge disappointment for Roger. A steel sword and a silver sword. One for slaying people, the other for banishing demons¡ªa Demon Hunter¡¯s standard gear. But after giving it some thought, even if he mastered swordsmanship, it didn¡¯t seem very useful in this peaceful era. He couldn¡¯t possibly carry around two swords everywhere he went; he would likely be stopped by the police for a chat before he walked far on the street. This was all he had gained from opening up the study. ¡°What am I now?¡± ¡°A reservist Demon Hunter?¡± ¡°Will there be stronger training methods in the future, or even information related to the Green Grass Trial?¡± ¡°The Demon Hunter¡¯s powerful perception ability, superhuman physique and agility, healing abilities, and mystical Dharma Seal.¡± ¡°` Roger began to feel anticipation. But, after the excitement, he quickly became calm. Demon Hunters could be said to be a non-human existence created for the purpose of battling demons, their entire set of abilities geared towards combat. The Monster Manual on the desk made Roger vigilant, and now upon further thought, he suddenly realized that the world he was currently in might not be as peaceful as it appeared on the surface. Perhaps in the darkness of the night, in the shadowy corners, there lurked monsters unknown to ordinary people! ¡°Is acquiring this kind of ability a stroke of luck or misfortune?¡± He couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh of frustration. Roger started to become greedy again¡ªIn the novels he had read in his previous life, many protagonists hardly needed to put in any effort; with a system-dad, they naturally rocketed to the top. But for him, it was a tough journey. It wasn¡¯t him that had a bug, but his house. He could only train hard himself. ¡°Forget it, a man¡¯s greed is like a snake trying to swallow an elephant.¡± ¡°Just work hard and be honest.¡± Roger was quite pragmatic. He calmed down and casually flipped through the books in his hands. This time, he found a usable recipe in the Alchemy Notes. Concentration Potion: Toxicity: None. After use, it greatly enhances the mental concentration and control over the body, allowing the user to achieve learning and training effects several times or even tens of times greater than usual in a very short period. Duration: Depends on the user¡¯s mental and physical fatigue. After the effects wear off, the user will enter a long state of mental dispersion. Cannot be used when energy is low. Forced use will result in vomiting, dizziness, and mild hallucinations. ¡°This is practically tailor-made for me!¡± Roger slapped his thigh in excitement. A person, when highly focused, has perception control over their body and knowledge absorption speed far exceeding normal circumstances. And this Concentration Potion might be even more potent in effect. Of course, its side effects are also sure to be strong. But these were no issue for Roger. His only piece of furniture, the wooden bed, possessed a miraculous effect of restoring energy. Just use the potion and then take a nap in the bed, and upon waking up, he would be completely rejuvenated. With these two things and the aid of Nivagard¡¯s Body Strengthening Technique, Roger¡¯s progress would definitely far exceed expectations! ¡°However, I need to find the herbs for the Concentration Potion first.¡± Roger frowned. The ingredients for the Concentration Potion weren¡¯t the few herbs he was familiar with, but instead names he had never encountered. Though, one of the herbs was entirely green, with leaves spread out like petals. Looking at the pattern in the book, Roger felt he might have seen it when he was looking for a water source. Next, he committed to memory the characteristics and shapes of the other herbs required to synthesize the Concentration Potion. Then he placed all the books back on the bookshelf. Armed with a ragged bag and a shovel, he left the house and entered the woods behind it. Roger wasn¡¯t worried about the secrets of his cottage being discovered by others, for all the anomalies in the room and the items, were effective only for him. To others, it was just a shabby wooden bed, and the books on the bookshelf didn¡¯t exist at all. Three hours later, after having scoured the small woods behind him, Roger finally gathered all the necessary herbs. Only one of them seemed somewhat different from the description in the Herbal Manual, and he didn¡¯t know if it would affect the final result. Without the appropriate Alchemy Vessels, he could only set up a pot and give it a try. Chapter 5 - Chapter 5: Chapter 005: Strengthening the Body Chapter 5: Chapter 005: Strengthening the Body ¡°First, crush the Green Leaf Grass, remove all the broken leaves, and extract the juice¡­¡± Roger was performing the operation while looking at the opened Alchemy Notes. He had originally thought this would be quite simple, but in practice, he found it fraught with difficulty. The portions recorded above were described in vague terms, and without specific units of measurement at hand, he could only guess based on the illustrations in the book. ¡°I won¡¯t kill myself doing this, will I?¡± Roger muttered to himself, looking at the boiling Potions in the pot. The first step in alchemy was extraction, which took a lot of effort. He used up all the herbs he had gathered just to obtain some basic potion liquid. While extracting, he boiled another batch of herbs in a pot, then simmered it over a low flame. In the end, he obtained half a pot of black viscous liquid. This was an auxiliary item for practicing the Body Strengthening Technique; squeezing the juice from three types of herbs and boiling them led to a wonderful reaction, and then he sequentially added Green Leaf Grass, the pistils of Baili Flowers, and Withered Wood Roots. What he ended up with was a paste-like salve that gave off an odd smell. Spreading this stuff on one¡¯s body, when exercising, would promote muscle growth and quickly strengthen one¡¯s physique. ¡°Can I really eat this stuff?¡± Looking at the light green liquid in the bowl, he hesitated but then drank it all in one gulp. It was a bit bitter, a bit fishy, and had a strong earthy taste. It seemed there was nothing else to it. Roger was just thinking this when suddenly a burning sensation spread upward from his stomach, setting his entire esophagus ablaze as if flames were about to burst from his throat. Unable to help himself, Roger opened his mouth but, strangely, he couldn¡¯t make a sound. The burning sensation continued to rise until it pierced through the top of his head! ¡°Ah¡­¡± His brain felt as if it had been opened up. His focus became incredibly sharp, his perception increased manifold compared to before, as if his mind had gone from motorcycle to airplane engines. ¡°This feels amazing!¡± He flipped open the Nivagard Body Strengthening Technique, and the originally complex and precise movements, as well as the breathing method not suited to human breathing habits, instantly came to mind. Knowledge was sorted and absorbed. In just a moment, Roger felt that he had fully mastered the essentials of the Body Strengthening Technique. He couldn¡¯t wait to try it out. Stripping off his clothes as fast as he could, Roger stood naked before the wooden bed and evenly spread the still-warm paste on his body. For the places on his back he couldn¡¯t reach, he used a piece of torn cloth dipped in the salve to rub it on. He went through all the Body Strengthening Technique¡¯s movements in his mind and then his body began to twist rapidly. Time ticked away second by second. An hour later, Roger, in an excited state, suddenly stiffened his movements. The tearing of muscles, the friction of joints, and the flood-tide of fatigue suddenly came pouring out. His head felt as if someone had scooped something out of it, and with a strong wave of nausea coming along with the stench of the dried potion on his body, he nearly vomited. His stomach was empty, but before he could do anything, Roger collapsed to the floor like a lump of mud, his eyelids heavy as lead, feeling like he could pass out at any moment. ¡°Is this what they call non-toxic?¡± Roger was shocked; he found it hard to imagine to what degree actual Alchemy Potions¡¯ effects and side-effects could be tyrannical. He bit his lip hard, using the pain-induced clarity and the sheer force of his will to flop over onto the bed behind him. After that movement, Roger felt as if his body was ripping apart. ¡°I haven¡¯t trained myself to death, have I?¡± As the last thought flashed through his mind, darkness encroached, and he lost consciousness completely. And at this moment, the sun had just set, and the entire island was in silence, with no one aware of what had transpired here. Dusk fell, shrouding everything in darkness. When Roger opened his eyes again, what he saw was a sliver of moonlight streaming in through the window. ¡°How long have I slept?¡± Roger mumbled to himself, then tried to sit up by propping himself up on the bed frame, but as soon as he exerted any effort, he immediately noticed something different. ¡°My strength?¡± Roger¡¯s face subtly changed. He stood up abruptly, but because he used too much force, he staggered forward, clenching his fist tightly and feeling a strength surge through his arm that was far greater than before. After estimating internally, Roger felt that his physique was now very close to that of a standard adult man. ¡°Just one training session and I¡¯ve improved this much? If I train 10 or 8 more times, won¡¯t I become a superhero?¡± But he quickly discarded the thought from his mind. ¡°Since it¡¯s the basic Body Strengthening Technique, there must be a limit, but the effect shouldn¡¯t be this domineering if it¡¯s a normal practice.¡± ¡°It seems it must be the effect of the Concentration Potion.¡± Having adapted to the sudden increase in strength, Roger then noticed the ointment stuck to his skin ¨C the dried medicine was uncomfortable against his body and had also stained the bedding quite a bit. Having slept, he not only felt refreshed, but the nauseating feeling as if his brain had been hollowed out had vanished, and the fatigue in his body was swept away as well. ¡°This really is a wonderful thing.¡± The magic of the wooden bed impressed Roger greatly. He pulled off the soiled sheets, didn¡¯t bother dressing, and wrapped himself in the blanket as he walked out. The nighttime island was not as hot as during the day; a cool breeze blew, making Roger feel a draft below and causing him to wrap the bedding tighter around himself as he walked towards a distant beach. It was a full moon, and the brilliant moonlight bathed the island, making Roger feel as though even his walking speed had increased greatly after his power boost. Before long, he arrived at the beach. It was a low-lying area where, after the tide receded, a lake-like region formed in place. With a wound still on his forehead, he leaned against the edge and slid into the ocean water. The chilly sea water washed over him, cleansing his body of dirt, and he felt so reluctant to get up that he leaned his upper body on a rock, indulging in a cold sea bath. ¡°If there were two or three female sorceresses by my side, tsk tsk, that would truly be living the Demon Hunter life,¡± Roger couldn¡¯t help but sigh. But just as he was about to get up and leave, a voice came from not far off. ¡°Such beautiful moonlight, we haven¡¯t relaxed like this in a long time.¡± It was that man! Roger¡¯s heart tightened at once, and he was just about to speak when he suddenly realized the implication in the other¡¯s words. ¡°We?¡± There were others here! Roger¡¯s face paled, and at this point, he could no longer care for the wound on his forehead that hadn¡¯t yet healed. He took a deep breath and carefully submerged himself in the water. Then, using the moonlight, he swam around the huge rock behind him and cautiously concealed himself. Because of the terrain, the vast sea lay behind him; in this light, as soon as he surfaced, he would surely be noticed by the other party. And at that moment, the tall man had also entered Roger¡¯s line of sight. He was all alone. But just as Roger was growing puzzled, the water stirred and a pale blue figure with webbed feet burst from the water, leaping onto the man¡¯s back. In the moonlight, Roger saw clearly the other¡¯s head, which resembled that of a fish! Chapter 6 - Chapter 6: Chapter 006: Unknown Chapter 6: Chapter 006: Unknown ¡°What on earth is this?¡± If it weren¡¯t for half of his face submerged in water, Roger would have probably cried out in alarm just now. The bright moon was in the sky, its silver light pouring down onto the sea, illuminating the area as if it were daytime. The creature opposite was a pale blue overall, its height comparable to that of an average adult woman. From its external physiology, it seemed to be a female. Her body was covered with a layer of extremely fine scales, her eyes bulging and round with yellow-orange pupils, and she looked completely relaxed while soaking in the water. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we have all night,¡± he said. The man looked at the creature before him with affection, seemingly oblivious to her appearance. Under the moonlight, the whole world seemed to shrink; all they had in their sights was each other. Roger watched from a distance, his eyelids twitching uncontrollably; a bad premonition suddenly emerged in his heart. What followed was indeed as he had imagined. Well, although Roger had no intention of peeking, the space was limited. The temperature of the sea at night was very low, and Roger had already been soaking in the water for quite a while. Staying in the water for an extended period was rapidly dropping his body temperature, and he even felt his legs were starting to cramp slightly. ¡°No, I can¡¯t go on like this. If my legs cramp and my tracks are discovered, it might attract unnecessary trouble,¡± he thought. With this in mind, Roger tried to move, but having stayed still in the water for too long, he made an unavoidably large movement, causing a splash that produced a sound. Splash! In the still night with no wind, even a small noise was excruciatingly sharp. At that moment, the murloc woman suddenly exerted force and sprung up. She leapt onto a nearby rock, then hissed a low growl in the direction of the sound. The man was taken aback by the sudden movement, but he quickly emerged from the water, looking confused at the murloc woman. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± He frowned, following the direction of the murloc¡¯s growl, but all the man saw was a large boulder. He hesitated for just a moment, then soothed the murloc with his hand before carefully swimming in that direction. As he drew near the rock, he slowed down, carefully climbed onto the rock, then suddenly exerted force and vaulted to the other side. He was alert, scanning his surroundings, and a dagger somehow appeared in his hand, casting a cold gleam under the moonlight. The waters were calm, and a shadow of doubt crossed the man¡¯s mind. Suddenly remembering the island¡¯s additional visitor, his mood sank, and without further delay, he hurriedly gathered his things and disappeared into the night. Meanwhile, Roger¡¯s figure suddenly popped up a hundred meters away from the shoreline, gasping for air. Holding his breath for so long had made his vision blacken. But after just a short rest, he started moving his hands and feet, taking a wide detour as he swam towards the shore. Upon reaching land, Roger didn¡¯t linger but hastened, swiftly returning to his own cottage. After closing the door, he quickly dried the seawater off his body, and before he even had the chance to wipe his hair, a faint noise came from the open space outside the cabin. Roger was startled; that was one of the little tricks he had set up around the perimeter of his room. There were no animals on the island, which could only mean one thing. Someone was approaching! In an instant, numerous thoughts clashed inside Roger¡¯s brain. ¡°What should I do?¡± ¡°Run?¡± ¡°No, that won¡¯t do. The island is too small, and without a boat or supplies, where could I possibly flee to?¡± He quickly dismissed the thought. ¡°Act like nothing happened?¡± ¡°But I saw his secret, and if he wants to¡­¡± ¡°No, this is too passive, if he really intends to do something, I¡¯ll be utterly defenseless.¡± A surge of impulsion suddenly welled up inside him, his blood raced, and Roger quickly looked around, his gaze settling on a wood saw and an iron axe by the door, the only two weapons he had. The man was with that bizarre creature, and now that I¡¯ve discovered his secret, will he¡­ to me¡­ His breathing grew rapid, the more Roger thought, the more frightened he became. His scalp tingled, the footsteps outside were getting closer, leaving Roger not much time to think. In the darkness, a hint of determination flashed in his eyes, and then he dashed to the bed with the greatest speed. A few breaths later, a burly silhouette appeared at the doorway. He paused only briefly, then cautiously approached the window, peering into the room through the gaps in the wooden planks of the window. Moonlight streamed through the gaps into the room. The man¡¯s eyes moved, his gaze fixed on the figure on the bed, he walked up to the door, his palm resting on the thin wooden panel. With just a gentle push, he could open the door. At that moment, Roger, hiding behind the door, was sweating profusely, his heart pounding in his chest, almost exploding; he had to cover his mouth and nose tightly with one hand to prevent his heavy panting from alerting the visitor. His other hand gripped the iron axe tightly; his grip so strong that veins bulged on his hand, his knuckles turning slightly white. Thump, thump, thump! His heart beat violently, Roger didn¡¯t know what would happen next, he even felt like he was about to suffocate. He didn¡¯t know how long it had been. Maybe a few seconds, maybe a minute. The man¡¯s hand on the wooden door loosened, then he quietly moved back, the sound of footsteps gradually fading away. It was only after a long time that Roger violently let go of his hand, gasping for air, his body collapsing on the ground like a lump of mud. ¡°Ha¡­huff¡­ha!¡± From lack of oxygen, his brain felt dizzy. After a while, Roger supported himself up against the wall, staggering to the bed, he unfolded the blankets shaped like a human figure, and lay down naked. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that he had stripped off his clothes earlier, he might have really struggled to find something quickly to fill the blankets with. Roger didn¡¯t feel the slightest bit sleepy; he kept the axe close in his arms, half-closing his eyes to watch the window, continuously recalling the scene he had just witnessed on the beach. ¡°Who is this man exactly?¡± ¡°Is he some kind of Wizard?¡± ¡°Was that Murloc-like monster tamed by him or created?¡± Numerous thoughts collided in Roger¡¯s mind, he stayed awake all night, only dozing off as the sky began to lighten. In his dream, he saw the terrifying monster again; it bared its huge maw, pouncing on him and tearing open his chest with its sharp claws. ¡°Huh!¡± In panic, Roger let out a loud cry and suddenly sat up. Sweat soaked the bedding, he was still in shock when from outside the door came a light rapping sound. ¡°The lad named Roger, come open the door for me!¡± Chapter 7 - Chapter 7: Chapter 007 The Storm Approaches Chapter 7: Chapter 007 The Storm Approaches ¡°It¡¯s him!¡± Roger was shocked, but after last night¡¯s incident, he quickly calmed down, then feigned a groggy look as he got dressed, got out of bed, and opened the door. The door was half-open, and Roger, rubbing his eyes, had a tired expression on his face, but his eyes closely observed the man opposite him through the gaps between his fingers. ¡°The weather changed a bit last night; I reckon there might be a storm coming soon,¡± the man across said slowly, as if probing for something. ¡°Last night?¡± Roger muttered casually, yet his face showed no signs of a slip-up, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sir, I¡¯ve fixed the cabin well, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± Roger blocked the doorway with his body as he responded. The man nodded, seemingly not intent on delving deeper, ¡°Just keep an eye out.¡± He tore off a piece of a frayed net from his shoulder, ¡°You can¡¯t always eat dry rations; you might try your luck nearby to see if you can catch some fish.¡± Upon hearing this, Roger¡¯s heart leapt; he suddenly realized that although he had managed to bluff his way through the night before, the clear footprints he left on the beach after getting ashore could reveal everything if someone were to check¡­ ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Despite his best efforts to hide it, Roger¡¯s expression did falter, and the man opposite noticed it. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing, I just have never done anything like that¡­¡± said Roger, feigning distress. The expression on the man¡¯s face shifted subtly, a flicker of sympathy in his eyes. From his perspective, the scrawny teenager across from him barely passed for a young adult. Perhaps he was overthinking it. ¡°If there¡¯s anything you don¡¯t understand, you can ask me, if I have time¡­¡± ¡°I might be able to give you some guidance.¡± Leaving those words, the man, hesitating for a moment before departing, finally spoke, ¡°No need to call me sir anymore; you can call me Kant.¡± Roger watched this man named Kant leave, and while he now knew the man¡¯s name and their relationship seemed to have warmed, he did not feel any relief. Instead, his heart felt heavy because what he witnessed last night completely shattered his previous worldview. ¡°This world really does have monsters.¡± ¡°Perhaps it also holds extraordinary powers.¡± Without taking the time to eat, he changed clothes and ran to the seaside as fast as he could. But upon arriving at the shore, Roger found that last night¡¯s high tide had washed away any traces on the beach. As he approached the island, the markings were no longer very clear. ¡°Did he discover anything?¡± Roger couldn¡¯t be certain. ¡°Just take it one step at a time. The most important thing for now is to improve my own strength. Only once I have the ability to protect myself will there be time to consider other things.¡± He was alarmed by the murderous intent that had suddenly emerged within him the night before. No matter what, that man had saved him, yet when faced with potential danger, he had chosen to confront it head-on without hesitation. Given Roger¡¯s past character, this was unbelievable, ¡°Could the original owner of this body have been an extremist?¡± He shook his head, dispelling the chaotic thoughts from his mind. Now that he was at the seaside, he tried to fish in the water. The result goes without saying. He caught nothing. Having left the seaside, Roger resumed his exploration of the entire island. His first collection of herbs had been completely used up, and if he wanted to continue his training, he would need to prepare another batch. By late morning, a hungry Roger returned to his cabin, this time not as lucky, with a very limited harvest. After a quick lunch, he rested briefly and then tried to exercise on his own. Pain and itching, the severe reactions of his body, made it difficult for him to calm his mind. He struggled so much with maintaining his breathing rhythm that even basic movements were badly deformed. After laboring for two exhausting hours, besides mental fatigue and physical soreness, Roger felt he had made minimal progress. However, he did not plan to give up entirely. The improvement provided by the Concentration Potion was indeed substantial, but he did not want to neglect the accumulation and training in his normal state. Completing this training routine without the potion would be tremendously beneficial for his willpower as well. After a short break, Roger dragged his tired body back out to continue his search. It was nearly dark by the time he returned to the cabin. The island was small, and there weren¡¯t many areas for him to explore. He had swept through the island almost entirely that day to barely gather enough materials for the potion. Although there were certainly oversights, the scarcity of a plant called Ironwood Vine worried Roger. This was a symbiotic plant that thrived by attaching itself to the root systems of more robust plants and would only affect its host once it had grown to a certain extent, at which point, its characteristics could be identified. Having gathered the herbs required once more, Roger began the concoction process again, and with the experience from the first time, the preparation was a bit quicker. After acquiring the Concentration Potion, he did not take it immediately. Night was approaching, and following the previous night¡¯s events, he was somewhat apprehensive. To avoid any mishaps, he decided to stay vigilant for another day. If Kant didn¡¯t show up tonight, it would imply that Roger might have temporarily dispelled his suspicions. Clasping the axe close to his chest, Roger half-squinted till dawn, with nothing happening but the intermittent sound of the waves. In the following days, life fell into a monotonous routine, and during this, Roger took the Concentration Potion two more times. After two enhancements, his physical condition improved significantly. Despite still appearing skinny, his slim body concealed a formidable strength beneath the skin and within the myofascial tissues. Even though he was still slightly inferior to a robust fellow like Kant, he was much stronger than an untrained ordinary person. Harvesting herbs grew increasingly difficult, and during one of the opportunities to take the Concentration Potion, he also memorized the Basic Combat Technique from the books. When alone, he would secretly exercise. Aside from eating, resting, and searching for herbs, he dedicated all his remaining time to his training. After several attempts, Roger gained some insights: he could catch fish using his net. With the intake of protein, his previously lean body was slightly more filled out. In this manner, a week passed without him realizing, amounting to a total of ten days since Roger had landed on the island. Throughout this time, Kant hadn¡¯t visited once. Roger naturally relished the peace and had no intention of seeking him out. After dinner that day, Roger bolted the doors and windows and climbed into bed early. Outside, the sea breeze howled, and faint flashes of lightning could be seen in the thick clouds. ¡°Another storm is coming.¡± Crack! Bang! The storm roared in with fierce winds and pelting rain. Wrapped up in his blanket, Roger felt like a small boat adrift in the sea, reminiscent of his first day in this world. But today¡¯s rain was heavier, and the wind was more furious! Boom, boom, thunder rolled, and lightning flashed. And then, as a bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, Roger¡¯s eyes caught something outside the window. The lightning illuminated the outside as if it were day, but in that brief moment, he saw a ferocious face appearing outside the cabin! Chapter 8 - Chapter 8: Chapter 008 Assault Chapter 8: Chapter 008 Assault ¡°` Roger was startled. He subconsciously gripped the iron axe hidden under his pillow, which had not left his side since that night. ¡°Could it be an illusion?¡± His heart raced, and his breathing became a bit rapid. Boom! Another flash of lightning streaked across the sky. The view outside the window was clear, with no monster in sight. But just as Roger¡¯s heart began to settle, a low roar suddenly came from outside, followed by a loud bang. The wooden door groaned under the strain. Bang bang bang! Something seemed to be furiously slamming against it. Besides the noise, Roger finally saw another shadow lurking outside the window. It was a fierce-looking blue Murloc, about 1.5 meters tall, different from the one he had seen at Kant¡¯s place. This Murloc looked stronger, its body covered with rough fish scales and adorned with some seaweed. Their heads bore little resemblance to humans, with bulging eyes and a large mouth full of sharp teeth that took up half of their face. Hunched over, they had strong and exaggerated palms with sharp claws! ¡°What in hell is this thing?!¡± For a second or two, Roger¡¯s mind went blank, but the previous encounter had left him quick to recover. He rolled out of bed, leaped to his feet, and rushed to the door. To prevent an attack from Kant, Roger used his free time in the past few days to reinforce the windows and doors of his cottage with multiple layers. If it had been as before, the wooden door probably would have shattered on the first impact. ¡°I can¡¯t let these dreadful things get inside!¡± The space inside the hut was cramped. Although the creature didn¡¯t seem as tall as an average person, its strength was presumably not great. But with their oddly long limbs and likely very swift movements, along with their sharp teeth and claws, he would be torn to pieces in just a few breaths if tangled with them. Faced with the crisis, Roger found his mind extremely calm at that moment. He dragged over a makeshift table to block the door, then took the iron axe and went to the window. With the help of the lightning outside, he could see one of the Murlocs was frantically slamming against the wooden door, while another was wandering aimlessly. Noticing Roger, the Murloc growled low and suddenly pounced at the window. Thud! Sharp claws streaked across the wooden board, stripping away large chunks of wood shavings. ¡°This bastard is fast!¡± Roger was shocked. Just then, he heard faint gunshots in the distance. ¡°It¡¯s Kant!¡± ¡°Has he been attacked too?¡± Kant lived in the lighthouse, which besides the observation deck on top, was built entirely of concrete. Even a hundred of these creatures couldn¡¯t possibly topple the lighthouse. Unless they could break through the iron door on the ground floor or climb along the walls to the top, the island¡¯s lighthouse was indeed the sturdiest fortress. The gunshots became more frequent, indicating that more than one monster was attacking the lighthouse. ¡°What kind of world is this?¡± Roger was almost too tired to complain. Taking advantage of a Murloc that had overexerted itself in an attack, he swung his iron axe. Squish! The iron axe cleaved through as if chopping into a chunk of soft wood, and with a scream, the Murloc¡¯s half-palm was chopped off by Roger. Pale blue blood splattered, some landing on Roger¡¯s face. After losing half its palm, the Murloc became even more frenzied. It moved with hands and feet, aided by sharp teeth, furiously slamming against the wooden window. ¡°` ¡°` Roger¡¯s reinforcement of the window was obviously inferior to that of the wooden door, and under the frenzied assault of the murloc, it was quickly breached, the creature roaring as it squeezed itself through the gap! The first to squeeze in were half of its body and an arm, it opened its gaping maw wide, emitting a putrid stench, and its lower jaw snapped furiously, biting at the air. Roger stepped back half a step. He felt as though his heart would leap out of his chest at any moment; within three seconds, the murloc could completely destroy the window and force its way into the room, followed by another one! With tingling scalp, Roger¡¯s eyes instantly bloodshot; hesitation and cowardice vanished utterly, as the will to survive overcame all fear. He lifted the iron axe in his hand, all the strength from three enhancements pouring into it. Whoosh! He aimed for the murloc¡¯s neck and hacked down fiercely! The iron axe shattered scales, severed muscles and nerves. Roger¡¯s all-out strike inflicted a severe wound on the opponent but failed to kill it; blood sprayed everywhere, and the dying murloc became even more frenzied. Roger didn¡¯t flinch; he pulled out the iron axe and struck again. One axe, two axes, three axes¡­ He numbly swung his weapon, not knowing how long it had been, until a ghastly head dropped off the neck and blood gushed over Roger¡¯s face like a fountain. Without a head, the beast was naturally dead as could be, but it seemed as if Roger felt nothing, continuing to mechanically hack away until the headless corpse was a bloody, unrecognizable mess. Roger snapped back to reality, and intense fatigue suddenly surged through him; his palms were split, and his arms felt weak from overexertion. However, before he could catch his breath, a loud bang came from the doorframe, and then the door shattered, another murloc bursting through! ¡°Fuck!¡± Roger barely had time to curse under his breath before he picked up the iron axe and sprang into the adjoining study. With his current physical condition, it was clear that going head-to-head with the opponent was not a wise move. Roger rolled on the ground and then darted into the corner next to the doorway, clutching the iron axe; his attention, though, was entirely fixed outside the room. ¡°1, 2, 3!¡± He silently counted, until he heard the heavy footsteps of the murloc inside the room, followed by a sharp snap! A section of the study¡¯s floorboard suddenly flipped upwards at an immense speed, striking out! ¡°Now!¡± His mind was exceptionally clear in that moment. Roger took a deep breath and then charged out. As he rushed out of the study, what met his eyes was a murloc being struck by the wooden board, staggering backward. At this moment, the murloc, though knocked by the impact, seemed to notice Roger but was a bit slow to react. Facing a monster head-on terrified Roger to the point his legs felt weak, but now with no retreat, he clenched his teeth and charged forward! Using the momentum of the charge and the hit from the wooden board, Roger leaped, the iron axe raised high in his hands and savagely coming down on the murloc¡¯s forehead! Crack! The massive recoil nearly knocked the iron axe out of his grip, and he missed the neck with this strike. Although badly injured, the murloc still had the strength to fight back. At this critical moment, Roger abandoned the iron axe, rebounded his body, and leaped away frantically. Rip! A fiery pain spread across his back; Roger tumbled out of the way, but by then, the murloc, despite the axe embedded in its forehead, staggered to its feet. Dizzy and the world spinning, Roger rolled to dodge the murloc¡¯s attack. In a moment of respite, he seized a thick wooden club and, during a lull in the onslaught, swung it at the back of the axe. ¡°Die!¡± Crunch! The axe blade followed the previously made incision downward, penetrating deep into the murloc¡¯s brain! ¡°` Chapter 9 - Chapter 9: Chapter 009: Update of the Monster Manual Chapter 9: Chapter 009: Update of the Monster Manual After killing the second Murloc, Roger, completely drained, staggeringly fell to the ground. He gasped for air, his arms unable to lift due to muscle strain. But after resting for just a moment, he stood up again, picked up the wooden stick that had fallen far away, and smashed the Murloc¡¯s head fiercely several times, until he was sure it was dead, then slowly approached and pried the iron axe stuck in its skull. In the movies of his past life, there were too many plots where characters were killed in return, and he did not wish to become one of those protagonists who almost succeeded but ultimately failed. He came to the door, which had a big hole in it, through which the wind swept in the rain. Distant gunfire could still be heard from the lighthouse. Not having time to rest, Roger, shivering, searched for nails and planks. He didn¡¯t know if more monsters would attack, but he needed to roughly repair the damaged door and windows at least. As for the lighthouse, he dared not go there now. Judging by the sound of gunfire, the situation there probably wasn¡¯t much better. On a stormy night like this, if he rashly approached, Kant might mistake him for a monster and blow his head off with a single shot. Much to Roger¡¯s relief, perhaps because Kant¡¯s position was drawing attention, no monsters approached as he struggled to block the holes, until the cabin was still and quiet all around. The room was a bloody mess, but at that moment, Roger couldn¡¯t care less. Clutching the iron axe, he persevered till daybreak, exhausted. The sky cleared, the torrential rain ceased. Smack smack! Outside the cabin, a tall figure with a hunting shotgun approached briskly, splashing through the puddles. ¡°Whoosh!¡± Before he could get close to the cabin, something round flew out of nowhere, tumbling down at his feet. Kant looked down and his face suddenly changed. With the axe in hand, Roger stood half outside the door, looking at Kant in the distance, ¡°Dear Mister Kant, could you tell me what this is?¡± The blood on his face was not wiped off, sticky and thick, and as it coagulated, it made his face look extremely ferocious with every change in expression. ¡°You¡¯re actually not dead?¡± Staring at the Murloc¡¯s head at his feet, Kant¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment as he looked Roger up and down. ¡°It seems you¡¯re quite eager for me to be dead?¡± Roger¡¯s tone was somewhat harsh. Kant, however, did not mind, clearly still struggling to recover from the shock. After hesitating slightly, Kant sighed, ¡°Since you¡¯ve already seen it, I can¡¯t keep it from you anymore.¡± He looked deeply at Roger. ¡°You really are an unbelievable fellow.¡± ¡°Go wash up, then come to the lighthouse and find me. I¡¯ll tell you everything I know.¡± With the crisis temporarily averted, Roger relaxed a bit, and only then did he notice that the model of the wooden house in his mind was glowing faintly. ¡°Detecting monster corpse, usable parts discovered. The basic structure of the wooden house does not contain an Anatomy and Alchemy room. Related functions cannot be activated.¡± ¡°Monster Manual update in progress, Alchemy Notes update in progress¡­¡± Reading this message, Roger¡¯s eyes lit up, and he quickly walked to the study, which was a mess after last night¡¯s fight. But in his sight, those few books were intact on the shelf. Roger pulled out the Monster Manual. On the once-blank pages of the book, there were now texts and images. Bay Murloc: A lower-class xenomorph that lives near solitary islands, with a basic structure similar to that of humans. Adults range from 1.3 to 1.6 meters tall, with strength comparable to that of an average adult human male. Naturally brutal, fast-moving, with sharp claws and teeth, the scales on their bodies offer considerable defensive power. They live in groups. Weaknesses: The heart, the caudal vertebra, and the joints of the lower limbs. Gills, lungs, and other parts can be harvested for special substances for making potions. Besides a simple introduction, there was also clear imagery from multiple angles, showing this creature. Roger couldn¡¯t help but exhale in astonishment; If he had seen this information the night before, handling the situation might have been easier. Fortunately, he had prepared some small contraptions in the room in advance to deal with a possible attack from Kant, otherwise, even if he could have killed the Murloc, he himself would likely have been severely injured or even killed. The injury on his back was just a superficial wound, and it should be fine once Kant helped him with some simple treatment. The update in the Alchemy Notes was an Alchemy Potion that primarily consisted of materials from the body parts of Bay Murlocs. It required too many things, and Roger merely glanced at it before returning it to its original place. It was a pity that there was no so-called dissection room or alchemy lab; otherwise, most of the materials from the monsters could have probably been utilized. The current wooden house was not going to solve these issues, and Roger had thought about expanding it, but unfortunately, that method was simply not feasible. ¡°I hope there will be a chance to find a bigger house in the future,¡± ¡°Maybe one day, I could recreate a castle like Kaer Morhen in this world, and then I could keep a few cute female sorceresses¡­¡± His thoughts drifted, and he began to envision his happy life in the future. Roger went to the seaside to wash the blood off his body, and as he looked at his young face reflected in the calm waters, he got slightly lost in thought for a moment. It was a young and even somewhat naive face, with black hair, appearing as though he was of mixed ancestry. However, at the moment, the eyes on his face were filled with something that made Roger a bit frightened. It was a tinge of excitement. Excited about what? Killing, or a desperate survival? It must be the latter, Roger silently told himself. After changing into clean clothes, he wiped the iron axe dry and tucked it into his waist, then went to the iron door beneath the lighthouse. ¡°The door isn¡¯t locked.¡± Kant¡¯s voice came from inside. Roger pushed the door open and entered. Inside, Kant was organizing miscellaneous items, piling some things to one side and clearing a small area. ¡°From tonight on, you¡¯ll stay here at night,¡± Roger was slightly taken aback, but Kant¡¯s next words made him understand the reason. ¡°They will come again.¡± ¡°As long as the storm continues, they could come at any time.¡± Kant repeated. ¡°A storm?¡± Roger suddenly remembered the night he arrived at the island. Normal people wouldn¡¯t choose to go out in such weather. Now it seemed likely that Kant had been investigating the situation and just happened to find him washed ashore. ¡°What are those things?¡± Roger asked. Hearing the word ¡°things,¡± Kant slightly frowned, but after a moment of thought, he said, ¡°Call them whatever you want¡ªMurlocs? Water Ghosts?¡± ¡°Anyway, they¡¯re not human.¡± ¡°Do the police know about this situation?¡± This was the question that Roger was most concerned about because the official attitude toward these monsters could reveal a lot of issues. ¡°How could they?¡± Kant let out a cold laugh. ¡°I¡¯ve told them once, but those idiots filled with shit for brains thought I was crazy.¡± ¡°You could show them evidence, with the corpses of these Murlocs¡­¡± Roger paused mid-sentence, suddenly realizing that he hadn¡¯t seen a single Murloc corpse around the lighthouse. Kant raised an eyebrow. ¡°Realized the problem?¡± ¡°Apart from the one in your room, those creatures have to date not left behind a single body. All the dead monsters have been dragged away by their companions.¡± ¡°Who knows where they went, maybe they were eaten,¡± said Kant nonchalantly. He exhaled, ¡°About these creatures, I still have to start from the beginning.¡± Chapter 10 - Chapter 10: Chapter 010 Determination Chapter 10: Chapter 010 Determination ¡°The sea area we are in now belongs to Bordeaux City, where storms are frequent, so many meteorological observation points have been established along the coast.¡± ¡°This place was converted from a lighthouse many years ago.¡± Kant stopped the work in his hands. ¡°I was assigned here two years ago, my predecessor observer was named Nick, a optimistically just good fellow.¡± ¡°He was nearing retirement age, so I took over his position. Our work handover lasted for about a month, but on the day before his departure, a rare storm suddenly struck.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been at sea for so many years and have never seen the ocean so turbulent, it was as if it was anticipating something.¡± ¡°The torrential rain lasted for nearly a week, and we were completely cut off from the outside world, no phones, no ships, just the two of us. Thankfully, the food left in the lighthouse was plentiful enough to last us both for about half a year.¡± ¡°But on the seventh day of the storm¡¯s advent, those terrible creatures surged up with the tide.¡± ¡°Seeing those things for the first time, we were terrified and in such a panic that we even forgot the guns in our hands.¡± A look of fear appeared on Kant¡¯s face. ¡°That night, their shrieking resounded in our ears until it retreated back into the sea before daylight.¡± ¡°And that was the beginning of the nightmare.¡± ¡°Every day following, those creatures would come ashore with the storm, as if trying to destroy the light from the lighthouse, piling up and climbing up furiously.¡± ¡°Nick and I could only pick up our guns.¡± Kant gestured a shooting motion at Roger. ¡°Bang, bang, bang!¡± ¡°One after another, we¡¯d blow their heads off!¡± ¡°But there were too many of them, and Nick, being old, had trouble guarding his direction in the dark. He had his chest torn open by those monsters, and then they dragged him down from the lighthouse.¡± Kant sighed. ¡°The next day when I went out, I only saw a pool of blood among the broken stones below, and it didn¡¯t take long for the sea to wash away the stains.¡± ¡°The storm that lasted for nearly half a month finally subsided, the sky cleared, and I kept watch for three more nights. But those creatures, as if they disappeared, never showed up again.¡± ¡°On the fifth day, the supply ship approached the island. It was originally here to take Nick home, but now not even a body could be found.¡± ¡°I recounted the events in detail to the liaison on the ship.¡± A look of exhaustion appeared on Kant¡¯s face. ¡°But everyone thought I was hallucinating. They told me that Nick must have fallen into the sea during the storm.¡± ¡°There are no such things as monsters in this world.¡± ¡°It was all just my delusion, they even sent a psychologist to stay with me on the island for half a month.¡± ¡°But nothing happened.¡± ¡°During that time, even I started to believe there was something wrong with my mind. A month after the counselor left, everything was normal, just when I thought life was getting back on track¡­¡± ¡°On a stormy night, those monsters appeared again!¡± Kant rubbed his rough face. ¡°If no one believes it, then so be it. One day I will kill the last one of them, and then drag its corpse to show everyone that I was right!¡± Kant growled with a puffed face. Roger was just listening carefully, not making a sound the entire time, but Kant¡¯s words not only failed to resolve the doubts in his mind, they made him even more anxious. He tried to speak several times, but each time the words reached his lips, he swallowed them back down. If he hadn¡¯t seen that scene on the seashore that night, he might have believed Kant, but now, he just felt a chill down his spine and even wanted to turn around and flee the lighthouse. But where could he go? Last night, he was lucky. If one more of those creatures had attacked him, Roger¡¯s body might very well be cold by now. He had never desired to become strong as urgently as he did at this moment. ¡°I¡¯ve cleaned out the bottom two floors of the lighthouse, the very bottom floor you can use for living, and the one above will be our dining room. Stay here in the evenings for the next few days.¡± Kant said to Roger. ¡°You could give me a gun, and I could help you guard the lighthouse at night.¡± Roger suggested. But Kant shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s only one gun left on the island, and the bullets are limited.¡± He looked at Roger. ¡°Great little fellow, have a good rest here. After these few days, when the supply ship docks, I will send you to a nearby town. Your parents must be worried sick after you¡¯ve been missing for so long.¡± ¡°Parents?¡± Roger put on a pained expression, hugged his head, and murmured, ¡°I can¡¯t remember. Apart from my name, I can¡¯t recall anything.¡± ¡°Poor little fellow.¡± Then Kant simply treated Roger¡¯s wound on his back and then showed him around the bottom two floors of the lighthouse. Actually, there wasn¡¯t much to see. The interior was simple, and there weren¡¯t many pieces of decent furniture. However, this time, Roger did not hear any strange noises. After last night¡¯s battle and having guarded all night, he was utterly exhausted. After hesitating for a moment, Roger chose not to rest in the lighthouse but found an excuse to return to his own cabin. He dragged the bodies of the two Murlocs out and dug a shallow pit behind the woods. With the current situation, leaving the bodies for too long would cause them to stink. After cleaning up the cabin, an exhausted Roger lay down on the bed and soon fell asleep. Eight hours later, he would become lively and vigorous once again. Meanwhile, on the upper floor of the lighthouse, Kant unlocked a room key and opened one of the rooms, which was filled with an offensive stench of evil. In a crude iron cage, a humanoid creature was bound. ¡°This is fate. I didn¡¯t want to do this, but they came a month earlier than before.¡± ¡°Did I miscalculate? There shouldn¡¯t have been any attacks recently.¡± Kant held his head. ¡°Who can tell me what to do?¡± ¡°He¡¯s still just a child!¡± But soon the hesitation in his eyes gradually disappeared, and his expression grew fierce. ¡°Who can prove he was ever here?¡± ¡°No one, no one!¡± ¡°Heaven wants him dead. Just wait a few more days for a ship to dock, and he could leave this place.¡± ¡°But now¡­¡± ¡°He has discovered the island¡¯s secret, and he will definitely tell others. Before long, many will come here.¡± Kant¡¯s expression in his eyes became determined. ¡°No!¡± ¡°We can¡¯t let anyone know our secret.¡± Kant looked at the shadow in the cage, his gaze soft. He reached out wanting to touch the other¡¯s cheek, but all he got was violent struggling and a roar stuck in the throat. All hesitations completely vanished, and his eyes filled with a thick intent to kill. ¡°Kill him, tonight!¡± Chapter 11 - Chapter 11: Chapter 011: Nightfall Advent Chapter 11: Chapter 011: Nightfall Advent ¡°` Waking up from slumber, vitality once again filled his body. Roger climbed out of bed and, judging from experience, reckoned it was around 4 p.m. With an empty stomach, he stewed a large pot of food and gobbled it down without much chewing. Not wanting to waste the time before darkness fell, Roger grabbed his iron axe and headed into the forest; he needed to find more herbs to make a sufficient amount of Concentration Potion to quickly enhance his physical abilities. And then there was the set of Basic Combat Technique. It was clearly meant to help Roger control his muscles, rather than serve much practical use in combat¡ªlaying the groundwork for subsequent training. In the game, a Demon Hunter was a master of weapons, proficient in not just Steel Swords and silver swords, but also numerous other arms. Yet now, Roger, wielding the iron axe in hand, was only capable of some basic chopping and slashing. This time, however, Roger¡¯s luck was surprisingly good; he found several key herbs in the forest after the storm, which, along with the ones he had previously collected, were enough to concoct a batch of Concentration Potion. Watching the sunset, Roger hurried to brew a potion. Without time to consume it, he hesitated momentarily before bottling it up and heading for the lighthouse. Kant stood by the iron door at the front of the lighthouse, looking a bit anxious, but his face broke into a hearty laugh when he saw Roger approaching, then he stepped forward to greet him. ¡°It¡¯s getting dark, come on in,¡± ¡°The storm could hit at any time; staying in the wooden hut would be dangerous.¡± Kant let Roger into the house, followed him closely, and then locked the iron door behind them. ¡°Come up and have some food. I cooked a bit of porridge; added some meat in it,¡± ¡°Tonight might prove to be very long.¡± Kant said as he made his way upstairs. ¡°I appreciate your kindness, Mr. Kant, but I¡¯m not hungry at all. I just want to get some rest now,¡± Roger declined. Kant, without a word, scrutinized Roger with a few glances and squeezed out a smile. ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll head up alone.¡± The entire lighthouse fell silent. Spending too much time in such cramped quarters could give rise to a sense of unease. Roger could hardly imagine how Kant had managed to live in such conditions for two years. After a while, a downpour began outside, and it was now late into the night. Kant¡¯s figure loomed from above, ¡°The storm has arrived, and those creatures will be here soon. Get some good rest down here!¡± He then hurriedly ran back upstairs. Click! Clack! Roger heard Kant shut the wooden door leading to the upper levels of the lighthouse. With a rumble of thunder outside, Roger waited for quite some time before quietly climbing to the second floor. He pressed his ear against the door panel, straining to listen through the thunder for Kant¡¯s murmuring voice. Just then, a loud bang from downstairs¨Dit seemed something was furiously ramming the lighthouse¡¯s iron door. Thud! Thud, thud! So loud was the noise that Roger felt as if what was outside was not merely a single creature. At that moment, a gunshot rang out. Kant had also started to shoot. Roger dashed to the ground floor at top speed, and in the flickering lamplight, he could clearly see the iron door trembling, its weaker parts already deformed. ¡°What kind of devilry is this?!¡± Roger¡¯s face paled. The Murlocs that had attacked his cabin last night certainly did not possess such terrifying strength; could they have learned to use tools? Roger realized that the lighthouse might not be as safe as he had thought, and he hurried to the corner, moving the items Kant had piled up during the day behind the door. Then, dragging over the wooden bed, he propped it up against the door. ¡°` Just then, the trembling of the iron door intensified. Roger grabbed the iron axe and ran back up to the second floor, frantically kicking at the wooden door. ¡°Open up quickly!¡± ¡°Something¡¯s ramming the lighthouse¡¯s iron door down below, and it¡¯s very strong. I fear that door won¡¯t hold it back!¡± In such a narrow environment, once the iron door at the bottom of the lighthouse was breached, a mere two or three murlocs would cause Roger to perish in an instant. Although his physical condition was somewhat stronger than that of an ordinary person, and he had the achievements from last night, Roger was very clear-headed about the limits of his actual combat abilities. Bang bang bang! ¡°Hurry up with the door!¡± Above, Kant¡¯s gunfire could be heard, but there was no response. Listening to the increasing impact sounds below, Roger suddenly felt a surge of anger and raised his axe to chop at the door in front of him. Crack! The blade of the axe got stuck in the wooden board, and Roger increased the force, hacking away again. Thud thud thud! The banging got more intense, sweat poured down his forehead like rain, and the wooden door inside the lighthouse, obviously specially fortified by Kant, wasn¡¯t going to give way anytime soon. Creak! Just at that moment, a piercing sound of metal tearing came from below. Roger¡¯s scalp exploded with horror as he leaned down to look, and in the darkness, a ferocious figure had pried open a corner of the iron door, desperately tearing at it with its sharp claws! ¡°Fuck!¡± Roger¡¯s face turned pale with fright. It would still take some time to break through the wooden door, but the creature below could squeeze in at any moment. He rushed downstairs at top speed, raising his axe to strike. Clang! Although Roger¡¯s mighty blow struck the monster on the shoulder, it made a sound of metal clashing against metal. The creature let out a hideous scream as it quickly withdrew its arm. Its arm was covered in blood, but it was merely a flesh wound. ¡°This guy¡¯s defense is incredibly high!¡± With thunder and lightning, aided by a flash of lightning outside the lighthouse, Roger got a clear view of the creature¡¯s figure. It looked bigger than the average murloc, with a dark blue body that was lean in build, and at a glance, it already seemed very close to a regular human. ¡°Gua!¡± The creature let out a strange cry, and right after, several smaller murlocs rushed forward. A hole had formed in the iron door, and if the opening widened just a bit more, those smaller murlocs could barely squeeze through. As for the tear at the door¡¯s gap, these murlocs didn¡¯t care at all, as their scale armor was more than enough to resist minor scrapes. Roger raised his axe, chopping at the murlocs near the breach, but as time went on, he injured several but the gap in the iron door gradually widened. The bolts fixed to the wall trembled wildly; it wouldn¡¯t take long for the door to be torn apart! Continuing to stand guard here would only prolong the inevitable for a moment. ¡°No, I must get up there!¡± As he swung his axe, he shouted loudly, ¡°Kant, open the door for me, quick!¡± ¡°The iron door downstairs won¡¯t hold much longer. Once they break through here, you won¡¯t be able to escape either!¡± Roger¡¯s voice carried far. Just then, the gunfire from above paused briefly. Not long after, Kant¡¯s voice could be heard coming from upstairs. ¡°Come up quick!¡± Roger looked up to see Kant¡¯s grim face. Overjoyed, he swung his axe a few more times to block the doorway, then rushed up as fast as he could. At that moment, the sound of tearing at the iron door grew louder, and a murloc struggled to squeeze into the lighthouse. Roger had just climbed to the second floor when he saw Kant holding a lamp and violently throwing it onto the pile of clutter at the doorway! In an instant, orange flames shot into the sky! Chapter 12 - Chapter 12: Chapter 012: Roll Down or Die! Chapter 12: Chapter 012: Roll Down or Die! ¡°The fire should hold them off for a bit.¡± Kant¡¯s face was as somber as still waters, and though it might have been an illusion, Roger felt a hint of chilling intent in the other¡¯s gaze. However, that feeling quickly disappeared. ¡°Stand guard at the door. As soon as any monsters burst through the fire, hack them back down. If you can¡¯t stay on the second floor, move up to the third, but do everything you can to stall them.¡± ¡°It¡¯s getting late; the sky will brighten in a little over an hour. If we can just hold out until then, we will have succeeded!¡± Kant¡¯s face was grave as he gave his instructions. ¡°Alright.¡± While gasping for breath, Roger nodded. Kant needed to stand at the top of the lighthouse to fend off the Murlocs climbing through the cracks. Now that the iron door below had been breached, if Roger couldn¡¯t hold this line of defense, neither of them would survive. In Kant¡¯s hand was but a single-barrel shotgun, its range and firing rate severely limited. In such a confined space, once surrounded by several Murlocs, escape would be nearly impossible. After giving his instructions to Roger, Kant didn¡¯t dare delay any longer and ran up as fast as he could. By this time, the fire on the first floor had spread out. Murlocs, driven mad by the flames yet unable to approach, howled furiously outside the iron gate. Heat waves rushed towards him, and Roger stayed well away as he now had a chance to survey the environment of the third floor. Similar to the two floors below, the space here was ample and much tidier¡ªprobably where Kant usually lived. For some reason though, the ordinary decorations gave Roger an eerie feeling. The fire continued to rage, and time ticked away. If things kept up like this, they should be able to make it until dawn. But just then, another series of loud bangs came from downstairs, and soon after, with a resounding clamor, the iron gate burst open. By then, everything on the first floor had been reduced to ashes, and the blaze had spread to the second floor. A bizarre and urgent screeching filled the air. Hearing this, the Murlocs at the door threw caution to the wind and barreled into the lighthouse through the fierce flames. It wasn¡¯t long before Roger saw a Murloc, alight with flames, charging right towards him. Each level of the lighthouse had only one upward passage. The stairs between the first and second floors were already charred beyond recognition, and these creatures were leaping up using their powerful jumping ability. Roger stood at the stairwell entrance, watching a Murloc leap up and bringing his iron axe down with a swing. The Murloc shrieked as it fell into the flames, rolled a few times, and quickly fell silent. Just then, a second Murloc lunged up, and Roger met it with the same tactic. He stood axe in hand, blocking the passage, the very embodiment of the saying ¡®one man holds the pass against ten thousand.¡¯ As more and more Murlocs sprung up, Roger began to struggle to keep up. It was at this moment that an especially large figure charged into the flames¡ªit was the leader that had previously rammed the iron gate. Roger¡¯s face paled, and he retreated quickly before scrambling up the stairs to the fourth floor. With a loud bang, he shut the wooden door to the next level! A foul stench hit him. Roger darted his eyes around. Everywhere on the walls and floor, there were mottled marks as if countless people had clawed at them, bloodstains still visible within the gouges. In the room¡¯s corner lay a four-sided object covered with black cloth, from which Roger could distinctly hear the sound of heavy breathing. Before he could investigate further, there was a sudden crash against the door, and the heavy wood splintered, opening a crack. Roger peered through the gap and saw a ferocious face staring back at him. ¡°Roar!¡± Accompanied by the roar, another collision came. ¡°Just hold on a little longer; the sun is about to rise!¡± Kant, hearing the sounds below, shouted loudly. ¡°Hold on?¡± ¡°Hold on my ass¡­¡± Roger couldn¡¯t help but let out a curse. This was a matter of life and death. Was it something one could just decide to endure? After a moment¡¯s hesitation, he abandoned the wood door and raced upward, but before he could make it, he found himself staring down the barrel of a gun! Kant¡¯s expression was hideous, his eyes bloodshot from a sleepless night. ¡°Get down!¡± ¡°Hold out until the sun rises!¡± Kant emitted a bestial roar from his throat; at this moment, he appeared no different from the monsters outside. Roger gripped the handle of his axe tightly. ¡°Do you want to die?¡± Kant sneered. ¡°I don¡¯t mind putting a hole in your head!¡± ¡°Get down there right now!¡± Boom boom boom! The sound of impacts was incessant. Kant¡¯s right hand, holding the gun, trembled violently; it seemed at any moment he might pull the trigger. He glanced back, and a glimmer of dawn crested the horizon. Perhaps in just a few dozen seconds, the sun would rise above the sea! But these few seconds were a matter of life and death! Facing the dark muzzle, Roger was helpless, biting his lip tightly. When the pounding reached its peak behind him, he suddenly turned around. He feared that if he delayed even a second longer, he wouldn¡¯t be able to resist raising his axe. Even the swiftness of his actions couldn¡¯t outpace a bullet. The moment he turned, he pulled an item from his chest, opened it, and gulped it down! Concentration Potion. This was the only means he had left. The cold liquid entered his throat, and soon the familiar sensation returned. Under the effects of the Concentration Potion, Roger¡¯s perception, muscle control, and nerve reflexes all increased dramatically. Although he wasn¡¯t sure if this method would work, he had no other choice at the moment. Roger ran forward quickly and soon felt something unusual; his body grew Lightness, and he could even estimate when the monster would break through the wooden door with the next impact. Four more steps. According to his calculation, as he reached the door, the monster would precisely break through. ¡°Now!¡± Roger slightly altered his direction, cutting across at a special angle. With his last step, he grasped the iron axe with both hands and twisted all his strength¡ªthighs, waist, abdomen, arms¡ªinto a single force before chopping down fiercely! Crack! At that moment, the wooden door split open! The dark blue Murloc burst through the splinters. But before it could recover, an axe, gleaming with a cold light, sliced towards it. The Murloc let out a roar and reached out to grab. Clang! A resounding noise followed. That was when Roger also realized his own problem; he was too weak. Even if his mind could capture the opponent¡¯s movements, his body couldn¡¯t keep up. He could only watch helplessly as the monster¡¯s sharp claws intercepted the axe blade, and then a tremendous force hit, sending him flying like a cannonball, spewing blood from his mouth before slamming hard against the wall! His vision darkened, consciousness blurring, Roger felt he might pass out at any moment. But just then, a wave of coolness forcibly broke into his mind. It was the effect of the Concentration Potion. He shook his head, barely regaining consciousness. But then Roger noticed that the Murloc, after knocking him away, did not pursue the victory but turned and walked towards the other end of the room! ¡°What is he going to do?¡± Chapter 13 - Chapter 13: Chapter 013 Estrangement Chapter 13: Chapter 013 Estrangement ¡°What is this guy going to do?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t they attacking the lighthouse just to kill the people inside?¡± In an instant, Roger suddenly remembered the female murloc he had seen in the moonlight that night. ¡°Is it for her?¡± With his back to the Murloc Leader, Roger couldn¡¯t see the other¡¯s expression, but inexplicably, he detected a certain special emotion from the figure¡¯s back. Anger? Excitement? Just then, a gunshot rang out. Kant, hiding on the upper level, suddenly fired a shot without warning. Bang! A bullet created a deep pit in the floor, but the Murloc Leader¡¯s trace had already vanished from the spot. ¡°Such incredible speed!¡± Even after taking a Concentration Potion, Roger barely managed to catch a glimpse of the adversary¡¯s trajectory, which meant under normal circumstances, if he faced the Murloc Leader head-on, he probably wouldn¡¯t have lasted even a brief encounter. Kant wanted him to stay at the bottom, obviously intending to use him as cannon fodder to buy some time. But what Kant hadn¡¯t anticipated was that his surprise shot also missed the mark, which showed that the Murloc Leader was not just fast but extremely perceptive as well. Dodging Kant¡¯s attack, the Murloc Leader didn¡¯t continue to climb upwards; instead, with a leap from the ground and two jumps later, he arrived in the corner of the room. There lay an object covered with a piece of black cloth! ¡°Get away from her, you monster!¡± Kant yelled angrily, but now he seemed less concerned with his own safety, as he leaped down from the top of the lighthouse and began shooting madly with his gun! The Murloc Leader was incredibly fast, and Kant¡¯s shots all missed the mark, moreover, the distance between them had closed to an extremely dangerous point. At that moment, the black cloth covering slowly fell, revealing an iron cage at the end of Roger¡¯s vision. Accompanied by a roar, a blue figure burst open the makeshift cage and lunged out, its speed astonishing; with one bounce, it jumped onto the neck of the Murloc Leader, its claws wildly scratching! ¡°It¡¯s that female murloc!¡± Roger¡¯s expression shifted slightly, his mouth filled with the strong taste of blood. He took a deep breath and clenched the iron axe in his hand. In the midst of the collision, he had sustained no small injury, and under the influence of the Potion, he could acutely feel the changes in his body. While he rested, the three figures in front of him had become entangled in battle. The main fighters were naturally the two blue figures; Kant had a gun, but the distance was now too close for him to dare shoot recklessly, leaving him to flail in a panic. Although the female murloc¡¯s strength and defense fell short of the Murloc Leader¡¯s, her speed was evidently faster, and the Murloc Leader seemed somewhat restrained, evidently unable to unleash his full power. Within mere seconds, he was left with numerous bloody wounds. Just then, a burst of light spilled through a hole at the top of the lighthouse, the darkness shattered, and the sun rose above the sea! ¡°It¡¯s dawn, it¡¯s dawn!¡± Kant exclaimed in surprise, but as he got distracted, the Murloc Leader let out a terrifying howl, violently shoved the female murloc away, and lunged madly at Kant. Left with no choice under these circumstances, Kant raised his shotgun and, without aiming, pulled the trigger on instinct. Bang! The bullet exploded on the Murloc Leader¡¯s shoulder, tearing through the hard scales, and blue blood splattered around. Yet even so, he only paused slightly before lunging again. Roar! The female murloc then rose from the ground, accelerating rapidly to crash into the Murloc Leader, her claws desperately trying to pierce his torso. The Murloc Leader snapped, no longer holding back, and with a backhand swipe, he struck the female murloc¡¯s head, lifting his unharmed arm high and ripping open several deep, bone-deep gashes on her body! Kant lay on the ground, retreating backward while fumbling to reload his gun, shiny bullets scattered across the floor, his hands shaking violently. The more anxious he was, the slower the reloading process seemed to go. ¡°` As the bullet was loaded, the Murloc Leader let out a low growl and pounced! Kant¡¯s scalp tingled, and a glimpse of despair flashed in his eyes. Just then, a slender figure darted out diagonally! It was Roger, who had been waiting on the sidelines for a long time. The combat strength of this Murloc Leader was terrifyingly strong; if he managed to kill Kant and the others, Roger alone would certainly not escape a deadly fate. At that moment, Roger¡¯s mind was extraordinarily clear, capturing every detail in the dim light. His scar-riddled hands bulged with veins as he leaped forward, using the momentum to swing his iron axe at the Murloc Leader¡¯s hind limbs. He vividly recalled the phrase he had read in the Monster Manual. Weaknesses: heart, spine, and hind limbs! Crack! There wasn¡¯t the sound of metal striking metal like the initial chopping; the scales in the crook of the Murloc Leader¡¯s hind leg were incredibly fragile. The axe¡¯s blade shattered his defense, cleaving through muscle, cutting deep to the bone! Having struck a successful blow, Roger didn¡¯t wait to see the result and rolled with his body¡¯s momentum to dodge. The entire movement was carried out in one fluid motion. When he looked up, he saw the Murloc Leader slowing in his movements, slamming a claw onto the spot where he had just been. Roger sweated profusely, his heart pounding wildly. ¡°That was close!¡± ¡°Just by a hair!¡± Roger¡¯s axe had nearly shattered half of the Murloc Leader¡¯s joint, leaving one leg dangling helplessly, obviously hindering his movement. Boom! Boom! Before the Murloc Leader could launch another attack, two gunshots rang out in succession, and his whole head burst open like a watermelon under the pressure of the bullets! Blue, red, green, weirdly colored brain matter covered the entire area. Watching the massive body of the Murloc Leader collapse, Roger couldn¡¯t help but heave a sigh of relief. ¡°Damn, finally killed him!¡± It was only then that he felt the pain and exhaustion in his body. Swallowing his nausea, Roger moved forward. But just at that moment, Kant, who had successfully ambushed the enemy, stood up with guns in both hands. He walked a few steps over the filthy ground and aimed the dark muzzle of his gun at Roger¡¯s body. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± The look of relief vanished from Roger¡¯s face, which now turned completely stiff. ¡°Mr. Kant, what are you doing?¡± A mix of struggle, helplessness, and pain appeared on Kant¡¯s face. While shaking his head, he shouted, ¡°It¡¯s not my fault, it¡¯s your own bad luck, you shouldn¡¯t have seen all this!¡± ¡°I just saved you, now you need to kill me?¡± Roger exhaled deeply, ¡°If you want to kill me, why did you save me in the first place?¡± he asked bitterly. ¡°Times have changed.¡± ¡°Back then, you didn¡¯t know the secrets of this island, nor had you seen Ivy,¡± Kant said, glancing at the female Murloc lying on the ground. At that time, the female Murloc was shaking violently, seemingly enduring tremendous pain. As if his determination had solidified, Kant took a deep breath, raised the hunting gun, and then pulled the trigger! ¡°` Chapter 14 - Chapter 14: Chapter 014 Counterattack and End? Chapter 14: Chapter 014 Counterattack and End? ¡°He wants to kill me, he really wants to kill me!¡± A nameless emotion swelled in Roger¡¯s mind. On his first day in this world, he had seen a lighthouse in the dark sea. Then, before fainting, he stretched out his hand for help. The days that followed with Kant weren¡¯t exactly harmonious; the man was cold and harsh, and when Roger saw that blue figure under the moonlight. Fear of the man once more crept into his thoughts. In his past life, he had decades of experience, but having lived in peaceful times, he had never known what a real life-and-death crisis was. It was only when he was rushing to the top of the tower that he saw the threat of death in Kant¡¯s shotgun. For the first time, he saw unmasked murderous intent in the eyes of another human. Under the influence of the Concentration Potion, Roger¡¯s senses were several times more acute than usual, and he lunged forward before Kant could even pull the trigger. No dodging, no defending, he just charged straight at Kant. ¡°Click!¡± A crisp sound followed. ¡°The gun is out of bullets.¡± Roger was crystal clear on this fact; just before their surprise attack on the Murloc Leader, he not only found the perfect timing but also noticed the number of bullets Kant loaded. And at that critical moment, Kant had subconsciously fired all the bullets! This was precisely why Roger dared to move forward after witnessing the death of the Murloc Leader. He had hoped to live in peace with Kant, after all, it was Kant who had dragged him from the cold shore that night not long ago. But unfortunately¡­ With his right hand grasping the iron axe embedded in the Murloc Leader¡¯s corpse, Roger rolled forward, his hand swinging the axe! Kant¡¯s face turned to shock as he threw his shotgun forward, retreating while drawing the dagger belted at his waist. ¡°Haha, die, die!¡± ¡°Take out your heart, and Ivy can¡­¡± Kant¡¯s roaring stopped abruptly as he clutched the wound on his neck, blood gushing through his fingers, his dagger dropping to the ground. Clang! Life fading, Kant looked at Roger with a pale face. Gwah! Just then, a female Murloc nearby let out a piercing scream as her body twisted and crawled forward. Only now did Roger notice that the female Murloc¡¯s Scale Armor was receding, and her features were becoming more humanlike. Roger stepped back several paces, holding the iron axe in front of him cautiously on guard. But to his surprise, the female Murloc seemed not to see him at all and desperately crawled to Kant¡¯s side, catching his teetering body. Like shedding skin, the female Murloc¡¯s features grew more normal, and only then did Roger realize how severely she was wounded. ¡°Why must you kill me?¡± ¡°I could pretend I haven¡¯t seen anything.¡± Roger asked softly. Kant shook his head, uttering the last words of his life. ¡°I don¡¯t trust anyone.¡± ¡°Any human!¡± Having said that, he died in the arms of the female Murloc with his eyes wide open. The female Murloc screamed in agony, and just when Roger thought she was going to attack, she did nothing. Her transformation continued until she was completely human. She glanced at Roger, her expression devoid of any hatred. Then she dragged Kant¡¯s corpse, moving step by step toward the top. By that time the sun had wholly risen above the sea, illuminating the entire island. The Murloc woman was badly hurt to begin with, and her injuries burst forth even more after she turned into a human. As she advanced, a shocking trail of blood marked her path. Roger felt a weight on his chest. He stood still, watching the Murloc woman laboriously drag Kant¡¯s body to the top, exposed to the sunlight. Suffering torment as if through the cruelest punishment, her seemingly normal skin immediately began to rot away. She struggled but didn¡¯t make a sound, clinging desperately to Kant. And then she died in the morning light. Roger dropped the iron axe and followed the bloody trail up to the lookout tower at the top. Standing there, he took in the entirety of the island for the first time. ¡°Such a beautiful place.¡± The corpses at his feet starkly contrasted with the vibrancy in the distance. He exhaled deeply. ¡°Is this what it means to be a Demon Hunter?¡± Should Kant have died? Roger didn¡¯t know. Perhaps in a different setting, they could have been friends, but here, when Roger discovered Kant¡¯s secret, the conclusion was inevitable. If he had hesitated then, he might have been the one to die. Or maybe that man already knew about the injuries the Murloc woman carried, and he had already gone completely mad. As time passed, the effect of the Concentration Potion receded like the tide, leaving his brain feeling as if part of it had been scooped out. The intense nausea nearly caused Roger to collapse. The two floors below were burned beyond recognition, and in his current state, there was no way he could return to the cabin. Exhaustion and dizziness incessantly jabbed at his nerves. After a brief tidy-up, he fell into a confused sleep. In his dream, shadows and lights were chaotic; he saw distorted creatures, raging flames, and a large hand stretching toward him at the end. He opened his eyes. The afternoon sun shone on his face, and instead of the familiar coolness in his brain, there was a prickly pain. His stomach was empty, signaling hunger. Roger went back down to the third floor and took out some canned food, gulping it down. The Murloc woman¡¯s corpse had turned into a pile of charred remains. A light touch turned it to flying ash. Roger didn¡¯t pay it much mind, but before leaving, a glimpse revealed a flickering light within the ashes. A pendant. It was wholly silver, both the charm and the necklace crafted from metal. To Roger¡¯s taste, the charm looked somewhat ugly, even indistinguishable in form. It resembled an iron lump, or a clump of twisted metal solidified together. The moment the pendant was in his hand, he felt a strange energy emanate from it. ¡°Could this be a Magical Item?¡± His interest perked. Despite searching, he found no other items. As for Kant, the only thing Roger found on him was a key. He used the key to open a secret door next to the iron cage on the fourth floor. The room was narrow, barely able to fit a desk and a bed. The table was piled with various books. Opening a drawer, a notebook caught his eye. Flipping open the diary, the first page held a photo that had been violently torn, leaving only Kant and a somewhat distorted face. Turning to the title page, Roger read carefully, knowing that through this diary he might truly understand the inner workings of that cold man hidden beneath his tough exterior. And¡­ everything related to this place. Chapter 15 - Chapter 15: Chapter 015 Kants Diary Chapter 15: Chapter 015 Kant¡¯s Diary ¡°Lighthouse Keeper, this might be the most suitable job in the world for me.¡± ¡°I like this place, the peaceful island, the beautiful beaches, the greenery everywhere, and in the distance, the azure sea and sky, but most importantly, here I don¡¯t need to come into contact with anyone.¡± ¡°This is a place that belongs to me alone.¡± ¡°I can do whatever I like here.¡± The first page of the diary must have been recorded by Kant when he had just become a Meteorological Surveyor. It was clear that he took to this work, which to others seemed incredibly solitary, like a fish to water. He even thoroughly enjoyed this lifestyle. What follows are records of some ordinary trivial matters. Kant¡¯s work wasn¡¯t hard, but it was tough; he didn¡¯t have much work to do, but what was hardest to endure was the prolonged solitude. He rarely had any time off; he could only return to the nearby small town for a few days each month, when he could briefly touch the mundane life and replenish his supplies. If not for that day, perhaps the peace would never have been broken. ¡°Good Lord, just recently, I even thought my heart would leap out of my chest¡ªa woman actually struck up a conversation with me. What was her name again¡­¡± ¡°Right, Ivy!¡± ¡°Such a beautiful name, just like her.¡± Day 2. ¡°Damn it, I actually took a day off and didn¡¯t return to the island. I went back to the bar from last night. Why?¡± ¡°Could it be that I wanted to see her again?¡± ¡°I drank all night, but unfortunately, she never appeared. Tomorrow, I have to return to the island, and it might be a month or even two before I come back.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll never see her again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s better this way; I¡¯m used to being alone.¡± Ivy. Roger frowned, thinking of the name Kant had cried out in desperation at the end. ¡°Is it that Murloc woman?¡± Shaking his slightly heavy head, he flipped to the next page. ¡°Just before departure, I saved a drowning woman at the shore. I really didn¡¯t expect it to be her!¡± ¡°Could this be fate?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no time left; I can only take her with me to the island. But it¡¯s all right, once she wakes up, I can find someone to take her back.¡± Writing up to here, Kant¡¯s handwriting became somewhat messy. Roger could tell that Kant was deceiving himself; he should have been able to find another solution. But at that moment, he must have subconsciously wanted to spend more time with the woman. Roger wasn¡¯t clear on Kant¡¯s previous life experiences, but he could see that this indifferent man was out of step with the world, fear of crowds, avoiding any social contact at all costs, enclosing himself in a shell. The subsequent development was just as Roger had imagined. The isolated island, a young man and woman, one with intention and the other without, quickly sparked some fire. At first, Kant still simply recorded his mood, but later, he completely abandoned this habit, and became wholly immersed in love. Until the date marked three months later, Kant once again wrote a diary entry, only this time, no trace of sweet warmth was left in his words, only doubt and resentment. ¡°Lies, all lies!¡± Kant wrote these words with great force as if they weren¡¯t on paper but carved into his own skin with a knife. ¡°She never loved me; she approached me just for something near the island!¡± ¡°She¡¯s a thief, a robber, even the name Ivy is fake!¡± ¡°I love her, I really do, for her, I¡¯ve even considered quitting this job to start a new life.¡± ¡°After tasting the sweetness of love, why should I be given a cup of poison!¡± ¡°I wish I had never met her.¡± After a vast expanse of emptiness. ¡°Mad, absolutely mad, she actually chose to sail out in this kind of stormy weather, what on earth is worth risking your life for?!¡± ¡°The waves at sea are too great, is the sea god enraged?¡± ¡°We were separated, thank goodness, I finally returned to the island, in this kind of weather, no one could have survived at sea.¡± ¡°Ivy is dead, she¡¯s never coming back.¡± ¡°But why don¡¯t I feel happy at all?¡± ¡°Upon finding the luggage Ivy left on the island, I discovered her past identity, the Three Holy Spirits, what kind of bizarre organization is this?¡± ¡°The Soul Transference Book, what is this?¡± At this point, Roger set down the diary he was holding, his gaze falling on another book inside the drawer. The Soul Transference Book. The material of the book was peculiar, Roger¡¯s fingers lightly tracing over it, and whether it was an illusion or not, he always felt that there was extraordinary power contained within this book. ¡°It seems that all of this isn¡¯t just a coincidence, the world¡¯s research and exploration of transcendent powers, I¡¯m afraid, far exceeds my imagination,¡± Roger murmured to himself. He did not rashly open the book, but rather picked up Kant¡¯s diary and continued to read on. ¡°The Three Holy Spirits, according to the records in Ivy¡¯s book, is a powerful organization, serving the world¡¯s top tycoons and the powerful, with the purpose of digging up and discovering everything related to transcendent powers.¡± ¡°And to make use of it!¡± ¡°This is insane, how can transcendent powers exist in this world?¡± Kant¡¯s writing was filled with disbelief. But soon his view was completely overturned, and based on Roger¡¯s guess, he must have opened that Soul Transference Book out of curiosity! Because in the following period, Kant¡¯s writing was full of the madness and chaos of a worldview being shattered. A single book had opened up a new world for him. ¡°Is all of this real?¡± ¡°Then what exactly are we?¡± ¡°Who truly owns this world?¡± Similar phrases were found throughout. Skipping a large section of smudges, Roger continued reading down. Kant¡¯s diary became normal again, either he had accepted this new cognition or he had completely forgotten it all. Until a storm hit not long after. ¡°It was terrifying, every time I face such a storm, I am reminded of everything that happened that night, with rainfall so heavy that not even the light could penetrate it.¡± ¡°The small boat moored at the shore was shattered by lightning, it looks like I won¡¯t be able to leave here for a long time.¡± ¡°Originally, I didn¡¯t want to believe a word about what was written in that book, but tonight, on the stormy seashore, not far from the boat, I discovered an extraordinary species.¡± ¡°Species.¡± ¡°I am one hundred percent certain, that it was not a human!¡± ¡°What should I do?¡± ¡°Kill her, or bring her back?¡± Roger could see the hesitation in Kant, this scene seemed to be exactly like the one not long ago. Perhaps at the moment he reached out for help, Kant had also hesitated just like that night. But he still brought her back. Chapter 16 - Chapter 16: Chapter 016: The Secret Chapter 16: Chapter 016: The Secret ¡°Her body was blue, and it felt like the ocean. She also had sharp claws, but she looked utterly ugly.¡± Kant wrote in his diary. Seeing this, Roger couldn¡¯t help but frown; he clearly remembered the scene he had seen under the moonlight that night, where Kant was completely lost in the moment, seemingly not disgusted by her at all. Next, Kant recorded the ins and outs of living with the female Murloc, from hostility to resistance and then gradually accepting each other¡¯s existence. The process was very lengthy, and various accidents happened during that time, including an unexpected attack. If it hadn¡¯t been for the desperate rescue of the female Murloc, Kant would have probably died long ago. After that incident, Kant established an intimate connection with this non-human life. He even described in the diary the first occurrence of an unspeakable event between them. For Kant, it was not a wonderful experience at all. Because he was passive. On a moonlit night, he passively endured the female Murloc¡¯s overwhelming hormones. After the event, Kant needed a long time to rest. In any case, an aloof man living in isolation and a xenomorph mostly driven by instincts developed incredibly sincere feelings for each other on this isolated island. And as their emotions heated up, Kant¡¯s desires grew more intense; he wanted his partner to be able to speak and even to become a normal woman. With that thought, he opened the ¡°Soul Transference Book¡± once again, searching for a way to transform a xenomorph into a human! Whether it was luck or disaster, Kant actually found a viable method. ¡°On the night of tumultuous tides, crush the heart of a young man, smear the blood all over the body, then aid with spells and formations, and initiate the Transformation Ceremony!¡± ¡°Repeat this, three times!¡± Remembering the peculiar state of the female Murloc at dawn, Roger fell silent. He knew that Kant must have tried this method, and not just once! Indeed, he soon found related information in Kant¡¯s diary. ¡°The heart of a young man!!¡± ¡°A human heart.¡± ¡°What should I do?¡± ¡°Kill someone?¡± ¡°No, no, I can¡¯t do that; it¡¯s wrong. Maybe I could sneak into a hospital and look around, with some luck, I might come across a fresh corpse.¡± Shortly after, the diary read again: ¡°I have failed!¡± ¡°And I almost got caught, maybe this is my fate, actually living with Ivy like this is quite nice.¡± Ivy, he gave the female Murloc a name similar to that of a previous woman. This marked a temporary cessation of the events, and Kant also put aside the thoughts in his heart, but not long after, an incident completely changed his life. He found a drowned body by the seaside at dusk. ¡°A fresh body, and the sea was rising, everything seemed predestined by the heavens.¡± That night, Kant carved the Array and then pierced the dagger into the man¡¯s chest. Something terrible happened. The man he thought had died by drowning wasn¡¯t completely dead. Under excruciating pain, the man opened his eyes. Facing the heartbreaking and despairing gaze and accompanied by screams in his ears, Kant removed the man¡¯s heart! ¡°I didn¡¯t do it on purpose!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do it on purpose!¡± ¡°When I checked, he was clearly already dead!¡± The diary was filled with lengthy passages of guilt. At this point, Roger didn¡¯t know whether all this was an accident, or just Kant¡¯s attempt at self-justification under the weight of his sins. Many times, human memory is deceptive, unconsciously beautifying itself, because no one can face an ugly heart every day. Killing someone is like tearing a hole in his psychological defenses. ¡°It worked!¡± ¡°This Array and Spell are actually effective!¡± ¡°The scales on Ivy¡¯s body have receded a lot, except for the color, she looks very close to a normal woman now.¡± ¡°Try it a couple more times, and I will definitely succeed!¡± Coming across a drowned person on an isolated island was about as likely as waiting idly for a windfall; naturally, for a long time after, Kant caught nothing. Realizing this, he began to take the initiative, and that led to the second proactive hunt. The person he killed was named Nick. A newcomer who had originally planned to take over Kant¡¯s job. ¡°He was indeed lying, this Nick wasn¡¯t his previous observer, he was assigned here to take over a new job.¡± Roger thought silently. Being replaced at work was an affront to Kant¡¯s pride. Away from the isolated island, he would have nowhere to belong, and what¡¯s more terrifying, he couldn¡¯t hide a Murloc in either the city or the wild! So even without the Array, it¡¯s highly likely Kant would have killed that new researcher anyway. ¡°The Array worked again!¡± ¡°The transformation in Ivy has become more noticeable, when the sun rises, she can fully become a woman, a perfect, complete woman!¡± Kant¡¯s writing overflowed with excitement, but soon, reality struck him a heavy blow. Because after the transformation, Ivy feared the sun and during the time she completely became human, she would completely lose her past memories, and Kant had no choice but to lock her in a cage during the day. Reaching this point, Roger understood what the strange noise he heard on his first arrival at the lighthouse was about. The cage on the fourth floor was extremely rudimentary, not designed to hold Ivy in her Murloc state, but to confine her during the day! Faced with such a major change, Kant completely panicked. Being harmed by sunlight wasn¡¯t utterly unacceptable in Kant¡¯s eyes, what concerned him was Ivy¡¯s memory. He started to fear, fear that Ivy would completely lose her memory after fully becoming human. And then, just like the Ivy before¡­ she would leave him forever! His diary was filled with confusion and hesitation, and after much consideration, Kant stopped his subsequent plans; he would rather choose a being with blue skin, a Xenomorph, than trust a beautiful human. Until that night not long ago, while patrolling the seashore, he encountered Roger sprawled out on the shore. At the moment Roger reached out for help, Kant¡¯s heart was in turmoil; he believed it was a sign from heaven, yet he feared the terrible outcome of the transformation. In the midst of these mixed emotions, he still brought Roger back to the lighthouse, and after much thought, Kant decided to give up on continuing the transformation, which led to everything that unfolded later. In order to avoid leaking the secret, he had to drive Roger out of the lighthouse, and by the pattern of previous attacks, he was fully capable of sending Roger away from the island before the next supply arrived. Then he could keep the secret and live out the rest of his days on the island. But, unfortunately¡­ The stormy night and the attack changed everything. Reaching this point in the diary, Roger closed it with a long sigh. Even though Kant had wanted to kill him, he couldn¡¯t hold a grudge against the man.¡± Had he been in the same situation, he might have made the same choice. Packing away Kant¡¯s diary and the Soul Transference Book, Roger turned and walked downstairs. As he passed the body of the Murloc Leader, the pendant he carried in his chest inexplicably heated up. Roger uttered a slight sound of surprise and stopped in his tracks. Chapter 17 - Chapter 17: Chapter 17: The Cabin Upgrade Chapter 17: Chapter 17: The Cabin Upgrade The female murloc¡¯s body, after transformation, couldn¡¯t withstand any sunlight whatsoever, but other murlocs were different¡ªthey detested sunlight, and it could indeed harm them. However, this damage was not lethal. The air on the 4th floor of the lighthouse was thick with the stench of blood, the headless corpse of the Murloc Leader lay on the ground, its blue blood long since coagulated. Observing this fearsome body up close, Roger still couldn¡¯t shake a sense of alarm. If it hadn¡¯t been for a shotgun blast to the head at close range, killing the creature with melee weapons alone would have been exceedingly difficult. Roger took out the pendant; there was no change on its surface, but holding it in his hand, he could clearly feel a trace of heat emanating from it. ¡°Is there a connection between the two?¡± Roger furrowed his brows. Perhaps the pendant once belonged to this leader; that¡¯s why it was so bent on attacking the lighthouse, intent on retrieving its possession. But perhaps there was a connection between the female murloc and the Murloc Leader that Roger was unaware of¡ªthe possibilities were numerous and could even point to another story altogether. Suppressing the discomfort in his heart, Roger slowly crouched down, and just then, the wooden cabin model in his mind glowed faintly, followed by a line of text that appeared before his eyes. The Monster Manual has been updated. Corpse of the Murloc Leader (Special Mutant): In the society of Bay Murlocs, depending on the size of the group, 1-2 powerful leader-level monsters are born. Their qualities are superior to those of ordinary murlocs and some exceptionally special mutants can develop high-level intelligence. Parts of their mutated bodies can serve as bases for various powerful Alchemy Formulas or as trophies hanging in the display area within the room. For more information, please refer to the Monster Manual. ¡°Mutated parts?¡± Recalling some situations in the Wizard World, Roger, holding the pendant, leaned forward and finally, at the heart area of the Murloc Leader, the pendant reacted more forcefully. ¡°What should I do?¡± ¡°Should I cut open its body directly?¡± Roger hesitated for a moment, as this was the real world, and the bloody corpse was right before his eyes. The blue blood offset much of the horror, but the ghastly wound was still sickening to behold. After much hesitation, Roger still raised the iron axe in his hand. The events on the island constantly reminded him that this world was utterly unlike his previous life. In such a world, if he wanted to survive better, he could only rely on the special abilities he possessed when he crossed over. Half an hour later. After vomiting violently several times, Roger finally hacked open the Murloc Leader¡¯s solid breastbone and extracted a faintly glowing heart! Once the heart was removed, the corpse of the Murloc Leader instantly shriveled as if all the essence of the body had been absorbed by the heart. Roger casually lifted the axe, and this time, he effortlessly severed one of the Murloc Leader¡¯s arms with hardly any effort at all. Even more oddly, the weight of the corpse had decreased significantly. Now that Kant was dead and only Roger remained on the island, the storm had stopped. According to Kant, it wouldn¡¯t be long before a supply ship arrived at the island. The most pressing issue before Roger was how to deal with the strangers who would soon land. About his identity, about Kant, and about the partially burnt-down lighthouse he was in front of. ¡°I need to figure something out.¡± Afterward, Roger carefully searched inside the lighthouse; he only picked a few useful books, and the storage place for food on the 3rd floor had been mostly destroyed in the fire. The most important items were Kant¡¯s diary and the Soul Transference Book; the only thing left was the Murloc Leader¡¯s corpse. To avoid trouble, this object definitely couldn¡¯t be seen by ordinary people. He fetched a large piece of black cloth, wrapped the Murloc Leader¡¯s corpse in it, and then took it downstairs. Looking at the charred remains of the tower, Roger threw the torch he was holding. It wasn¡¯t long before flames soared into the sky. The fire burned from the afternoon until evening, only gradually extinguishing as the sky darkened. This time, without the storm¡¯s interference, the flames completely destroyed the tower. Roger made sure to tamper with Kant¡¯s body, ensuring not a trace would be left behind. The setting sun dipped below the horizon, and the night turned the island silent, with a starry sky visible above. If it weren¡¯t for the day¡¯s events, the beautiful scene would have been intoxicating. Roger approached his cabin and noticed the large pit where he had once buried the Murloc corpses was dug open again. Naturally, the bodies inside had long since disappeared, and a few clear footprints could be seen on the surrounding ground. After some thought, Roger tied the Murloc Leader¡¯s body to some rocks and sank it to the bottom of the sea. Hesitating for a moment, he still took out the pendant he had obtained from the female Murloc, then hung it in front of the burnt tower. The pendant was clearly no ordinary item but also harbored a terrifying risk. It was very possible that the Murlocs had come to the island for this pendant. The lighthouse had been completely breached in last night¡¯s attack and continuing to keep it seemed pointless now. Moreover, Roger was unsure when the supply ship would dock, and if he left too many traces, it would be difficult to explain. After careful consideration, he decided to burn down the lighthouse. The storm had stopped, and according to Kant, the Murlocs would no longer come ashore, but for safety, Roger still hung the potentially dangerous pendant in front of the tower. If Murlocs were attracted by the pendant, they would naturally come to the island. If they took the pendant, his own safety would be greatly ensured. If they didn¡¯t come, he could simply take the pendant before he left. While treasures were valuable, life was worth even more. On this matter, Roger always maintained a clear head. He already had some ideas for his explanations. Now Roger had done all he could, all that remained was to wait. Walking into the cabin, the mental model of the cabin shone brightly, and a question appeared before his eyes. ¡°Ordinary Battle Trophy discovered, mutated Murloc heart, contribution to trophy 32%, evaluation ordinary.¡± ¡°Would you like to turn in the trophy for display? Note that trophies in the display zone cannot be reused as Alchemy Materials.¡± ¡°Upon turning in the trophy, the Hunter¡¯s Dwelling will welcome its first upgrade, allowing for relocation after meeting certain conditions.¡± ¡°Upgrade?¡± Seeing this word, Roger¡¯s eyes lit up. He had been hesitant, but considering he would soon leave the island and take the upgraded cabin with him, it seemed to solve his greatest concern. Thinking this, he willingly turned in the heart. ¡°Submit!¡± A faint glow swirled before his eyes, and the heart in his hand vanished into thin air like fine sand. The structure in the living room changed subtly, and an intricate pattern appeared on the wall opposite the bed. The vanished heart reappeared, hanging on the wall. It seemed to have undergone special processing; at first glance, this battle trophy was far different from an ordinary heart and even carried a peculiar beauty. ¡°Upgrade complete!¡± Looking at the now more refined model of the cabin in his mind, Roger controlled his thoughts and clicked on it. Chapter 18 - Chapter 18: Chapter 018 Visitors from the Island Chapter 18: Chapter 018 Visitors from the Island ¡°` Simple Forest-Edge Cabin: Level: 1 A rudimentary dwelling that satisfies only the basic necessities of life, with no furniture other than a bed. Special area¡ªStudy, now open. Trophy showcase area, now open. Battle loot bonus: Hut defensive power increased, and it now has a degree of self-repair ability. Within the range of the dwelling, the hunter¡¯s physical constitution will slightly improve. Energy-recovering wooden bed: No matter how exhausted, as long as you rest on it for more than six hours, you can be invigorated and once again become the female sorceress¡¯s harvester. Concentration-boosting study: While in the study, your learning ability will increase substantially. A powerful Demon Hunter should be, cough cough, not only a female sorceress¡¯s harvester but also an expert well-versed in various fields of knowledge. New area opened. Space in the cabin is limited; the new area cannot be displayed, please consider relocating as soon as possible. And then there¡¯s the timeless reminder. Please upgrade as soon as possible to unlock more features. Seeing the space limitation warning above, Roger couldn¡¯t help but have a grimace on his face; he was just about to explore the new features to see if they could enhance his strength. However¡­ From the current situation, the upgraded cabin had become much more robust than before. Now he needed to rest on the bed for only 6 hours to be fully energized and physically recovered. And it was foreseeable that with further upgrades to the cabin, this time could be further reduced. In the future, this could save him a lot of rest time. The upgraded study also revealed new functions, and Roger went into the study to try them out. As soon as he sat at the desk, his attention automatically entered a state of concentration. He compared it with a Concentration Potion and found the study¡¯s enhancement effect was significantly inferior. However, this type of improvement, being sustainable and without side effects, is indeed highly effective for studying and research, as described. If it could be upgraded multiple times in the future, it may very well reach the level of a Concentration Potion. After undergoing the Green Grass Trial, Demon Hunters undergo special modifications. They lead long lives, with many appearing young but actually being over 100 years old. The lengthy years have bestowed them with both rich experience and extensive learning, which, like strength, are equally important. The first cabin upgrade was achieved through submitting battle loot, and Roger was not sure whether this was just one way to upgrade, or the only way. Additionally, he noticed the mention of contribution rate regarding the acquisition of battle loot; the killing blow on the Murloc Leader came from Kant¡¯s rifle. Yet, without Roger¡¯s crucial strike at the right moment, Kant would never have been able to hit the enemy¡¯s head. He was still unclear about how increasing contribution rate might affect the acquisition of loot and whether these effects would impact the rewards after upgrading. Facing this product with no clear direction, Roger could only rely on his own summaries and conclusions. The night passed quietly in Roger¡¯s random musings. There were no Murloc attacks, nor any other incidents. Roger stared with bloodshot eyes, clutching his iron axe until dawn came. It was only when the sun rose that he finally let out a long sigh of relief, hastily stuffed some things away, and then collapsed onto the bed. ¡°` He was too tired. After using the Concentration Potion, his body had entered a state of overdraft, and normal sleep simply couldn¡¯t make up for this deficit. But given the circumstances at the time, he could only force himself to rest briefly before mustering up the energy to tidy up. He had stayed up all night again yesterday and naturally reached the point of extreme exhaustion. He slept until the afternoon, and when he woke up, his vitality was replenished once again. As a treat to himself, he caught two fish, which he ate with canned food and some dried vegetables, enjoying the most sumptuous meal since arriving on the island. After eating, he rested for a while, then instead of going out, he entered the study and opened the Soul Transference Book. This kind of mysterious item, in the form of a book, was often incredibly precious, and it was only after he opened it that he realized the book was written in a language he did not understand. However, underneath this language, there was an annotation in English, which was why Kant could use the formation described therein. In the bottom right corner of the page, there was a small triangular symbol, which was composed of three even smaller triangles. Each triangle had a different color, presumably representing different meanings. Three Holy Spirits¡ªRoger remembered this name. This book belonged to a woman named Ivy, and her translation of it was incomplete, skipping over many parts and seemingly interpreting it selectively. Besides the Transformation Ceremony mentioned by Kant, there was also a hand-drawn map on the last page of the book. Roger was not familiar with nautical charts, but after comparing them, he was certain that the key location on the map was the very island he currently resided on. 50 nautical miles from the island was the mysterious region that Ivy and Kant had once visited. As for that place, Roger currently had no interest in it whatsoever. He now desperately wished to stay far away from all these strange matters. Wouldn¡¯t it be wonderful if the world were made up only of ordinary people, where he could thrive relying on his modest home? He wasn¡¯t like Jack Camel, who could simply reload a save after dying¡ªhis life was his own. Sometimes being cautious wasn¡¯t a bad thing. Maybe when he was stronger, he could consider visiting the place. The Soul Transference Book was obviously a magical tome. After Roger completed his perusal, the book dissembled in his hands and reappeared on the bookshelf. It seemed that the study had absorbed it automatically, turning it into part of the cabin, so Roger no longer had to worry about the book being discovered by prying eyes and causing trouble. Over the next few days, Roger continued the excellent tradition of sleeping during the day and working at night. He scoured the entire island once more and finally gathered the materials for two more batches of Concentration Potion. He consumed one of them and then combined it with the Body Strengthening Technique for another round of practice, carefully preserving the other dose. Past experiences had proven that this stuff could save his life at critical moments. After several more rounds of practice, his physical condition continued to improve steadily, and he also took time to practice basic combat fighting. As for other training methods, there had been no additions in the study, and Roger wasn¡¯t sure if it was because the level of the hut wasn¡¯t high enough, or because his own training was inadequate, preventing the unlocking of the next stage of training methods. In all honesty, after this battle, he fully recognized the importance of skill. If it wasn¡¯t for cheating, he couldn¡¯t possibly be a match for Kant. So it went, Roger repeating the monotonous life alone on the island, until the afternoon of the fifth day after the great fire when he was conditioning his body in the open space in front of the wooden hut. From afar, he saw a speck approaching the island. The long-awaited supply ship had finally arrived. He knew that only by getting through this ordeal would he be able to say goodbye to the island once and for all. Chapter 19 - Chapter 19: Chapter 019 Contact Chapter 19: Chapter 019 Contact The distant island was faintly visible in the distance. A burly figure appeared at the bow, clad in a plain work uniform that seemed tight on him. He paced the deck restlessly, glancing intermittently towards the direction of the island. ¡°Grigg, you¡¯re too anxious, relax a bit. This is just a routine mission,¡± a woman¡¯s voice rang out. The speaker was a middle-aged woman, who looked around 40, with glittering short blonde hair and a lean face that spoke of efficiency. The ravages of time and hard work had left deep marks on her face, but her figure was well-maintained, indicating that she must have been a stunner in her youth. ¡°What if that guy runs?¡± the burly man named Greg said roughly. He had a robust build and a thick beard, which, based solely on his appearance, would make anyone think of a thug at first glance. ¡°Take it easy, pal.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an island, where can he go without a boat?¡± ¡°Grow a pair of wings and fly away?¡± Another voice chimed in, belonging to an older man in his fifties with a red face. ¡°The only small boat on the island was smashed to pieces in the last storm, and since then, that guy has hardly ever left the island.¡± ¡°But aren¡¯t you guys mistaken?¡± the old man questioned doubtfully. ¡°As far as I know, Kant is a good guy. He might be reclusive, but he¡¯s actually warm-hearted.¡± ¡°Working on this island for so many years, he¡¯s never made a single slip-up. To say such an honest man could commit murder,¡± the old man shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it.¡± ¡°What do you know?!¡± Greg said loudly, ¡°I¡¯ve been a cop for many years and have seen too many vicious criminals. Let me tell you, it¡¯s often those you think are honest who turn out to be the most despicable monsters!¡± ¡°Those guys hide in the crowd, revealing their fangs only at specific times!¡± ¡°Heh.¡± The old man chuckled softly. ¡°Give it a rest, Greg.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve watched you grow up. When has there ever been a psycho killer in our Baytown?¡± ¡°The last murder case dates back three years.¡± Greg¡¯s face turned red as he forced a retort, ¡°The cases I¡¯ve worked on have lots of records.¡± What followed was a back-and-forth between the two, debating Greg¡¯s embarrassing past and the town¡¯s security, each adamant in their position, resulting in a heated argument. But just then, the blonde woman standing to the side with a look of helplessness on her face suddenly changed expression. ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°Look over there!¡± She pointed, and the two men arguing followed her finger. Looking against the light, the scorching sun hit their eyes; but even so, the three of them could clearly see the charred lighthouse standing on the island. ¡°Full speed ahead!¡± The old man jumped into the cockpit and pushed the boat to its limit. Meanwhile, Roger took off the pendant hanging near the lighthouse. He put it around his neck, carefully rehearsing in his mind the various ways he would present himself next. Watching the boat approach rapidly, he silently psyched himself up. ¡°Roger, let the performance begin!¡± After much consideration, Roger decided it was best not to distort too many facts. He hadn¡¯t taken much care of his appearance in recent days, so he looked disheveled and dirty. Summoning his emotions, Roger put on an appearance of surviving a disaster, stumbled towards the docking boat, and yelled as he ran: ¡°A boat! There¡¯s a boat!¡± ¡°` ¡°I¡¯m saved, I¡¯m finally saved!¡± But just at that moment, Roger saw a burly figure on the boat suddenly pull out a gun, the dark muzzle aimed straight at his chest. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± ¡°Stay where you are!¡± Roger was dumbfounded. What happened to the rescue? What about the supply ship? What kind of twist was this? ¡°Put the gun down!¡± ¡°Look carefully, he¡¯s just a child!¡± A sharp female voice came through. Roger looked in the direction of the voice and saw a blonde woman leap from the ship, wading through the water at the shore and striding toward him. There was unmistakeable concern on the beautiful woman¡¯s face, and she opened her arms to appear as non-threatening as possible. ¡°Listen to me, child, we mean no harm.¡± She turned back, pointing at the ship¡¯s logo, ¡°As you can see, this is a supply ship. My companion is just a bit too nervous, don¡¯t worry.¡± As she spoke, she frantically gestured for Greg to put his gun away. Approaching Roger slowly, ¡°My name is Adeline, and you?¡± A glint of suspicion flashed in Roger¡¯s eyes. A sense of caution suddenly rose in his heart because the woman in front of him and the man on the ship were acting strangely, not at all like the ship¡¯s crew. Yet he still responded according to the script set in advance: ¡°Me?¡± ¡°I only remember my name is Roger, the rest¡­ I can¡¯t remember anything else.¡± While saying this, he held his head, pretending to be in pain. ¡°A castaway?¡± Adeline quietly exhaled, then continued to ask, ¡°Are you alone on the island?¡± ¡°What about the Meteorological Surveyor from the lighthouse?¡± ¡°You mean Kant?¡± Roger¡¯s face showed panic, ¡°He saved me, but then¡­ then, there was a fire, a huge fire!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t dare go near it, and I haven¡¯t seen him since!¡± Squeezing out a sobbing tone in his throat, Roger swore that he was pushing his acting to the limit at this moment. ¡°Quick, Greg!¡± Adeline waved her hands frantically, and upon her command, Greg jumped off the ship and sprinted to the shore, then raced toward the lighthouse. Adeline¡¯s face was tender, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Roger, you are saved, and soon you¡¯ll be able to return to town on our ship, and I think it won¡¯t be long before you can return home to the arms of your parents.¡± As she spoke, a flicker of unnaturalness crossed her face, returning to normal quickly after. Soon a grimy Greg came running back. His face was solemn. ¡°Found a charred body, must be that Kant, dammit, did the guy off himself in a fire?¡± Greg clenched his fists tightly. Catching a murderer and finding a murderer¡¯s body had significantly different implications both in terms of recognition and news spread. ¡°Hey, kid, you¡¯ve been with that Kant all this time, haven¡¯t you noticed anything?¡± Roger retreated a step back in fear, and Adeline stepped forward to shield him. ¡°Watch your tone, he¡¯s a child, not your criminal!¡± Greg gave an awkward smile, ¡°Alright, I was just too anxious. I just find it strange. Considering his behavior when he killed Nick, he doesn¡¯t seem like someone who would kill himself¡­¡± Seeing the sharp look in Adeline¡¯s eyes, Greg seemed to understand something and closed his mouth. Standing behind Adeline, Roger¡¯s eyes revealed a hint of sudden realization. ¡°What have they discovered? It seems they came to capture Kant.¡± Reorganizing the information in his mind, Roger pondered his next course of action. ¡°` Chapter 20 - Chapter 20: Chapter 020 Identity Chapter 20: Chapter 020 Identity The island behind gradually shrank until it completely disappeared from view. Roger withdrew his gaze, taking a long breath. He had prepared several excuses and a number of plans, but what he hadn¡¯t expected was that, due to some fortunate coincidences, his role in the whole affair was greatly diminished. The most crucial was Kant¡¯s diary, which he handed over at the last moment. Of course, he had torn out and dealt with all the information related to the mysterious incidents, so to Adeline, the diary seemed more like a portrait of Kant¡¯s inner thoughts and the catalyst for his suicide. Except for Greg, who was somewhat resentful, Baytown had been peaceful for a long time, dealing mostly with trivial matters in town. He hadn¡¯t been able to participate in the murder case three years ago because he was otherwise occupied. He had come this time full of enthusiasm, only to end up with just a charred body; the subsequent DNA test and investigation report still needed to be submitted, but overall, the case regarding Kant was completely closed. ¡°It¡¯s windy out at sea, and you¡¯re still weak, be careful not to catch a cold.¡± Adeline brought over a coat, and Roger finally learned her identity, the Sheriff of Baytown. Greg was her colleague. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve notified the police station in town. They¡¯re looking for missing person information from recent times, expanding the search to include several nearby towns, even Bordeaux City has been informed.¡± ¡°I think we¡¯ll have results before long.¡± Adeline comforted him, and for some reason, Roger felt that this female Sheriff was particularly concerned about him. He didn¡¯t think much of it; perhaps she was just a warm person by nature. Fearing he might reveal any flaws, Roger didn¡¯t want to stay around people for long. He made idle conversation with Adeline, then excused himself and returned to the cabin. The distance from the island to Baytown wasn¡¯t far, taking just over half a day, and the rocking of the ship made Roger uncomfortable, so he simply closed his eyes and carefully studied the model cottage in his mind. Before leaving, he hadn¡¯t taken anything with him, except for the transferred Hunter¡¯s Cabin. The transfer process was very simple; he issued commands through his thoughts. Apart from the heart in the trophy exhibit area, the entire cabin hadn¡¯t changed much from before. But after the transfer, Roger experimented a bit; ordinary beds, ordinary study, the place where he had lived for almost a month, seemed to become no different from a common seaside cabin. ¡°Although this ability isn¡¯t directly affecting me, it¡¯s clear that I am the master of it all.¡± Roger thought excitedly. Without the physical attachment, the model of the cabin in Roger¡¯s mind had basically lost all its magical abilities, which he found somewhat uncomfortable. Perhaps things would improve after the cabin was upgraded in the future. The return journey was much quicker than the trip there; by evening, the ship was nearing Baytown. Though called a small town, its area was much larger than Roger had imagined. As the sun set, the last rays of light sprinkled on the beach, with homebound fishermen and passing boats bustling the small harbor. ¡°Beautiful town, isn¡¯t it?¡± Adeline spoke softly. ¡°I was born and raised here. When I was young, Baytown wasn¡¯t as prosperous as it is now; it¡¯s almost unrecognizable.¡± ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get you cleaned up; you smell terrible right now.¡± Adeline led Roger off the boat towards the public bathhouse by the seaside, while Greg went off to fetch the car. ¡°You must be hungry, right? Go take a bath, and when you come out, I¡¯ll take you for a big meal.¡± Adeline winked at Roger and then turned away to leave. Although they were strangers, the female Sheriff made a very good impression on Roger. Indeed grimy, he took a thorough 20-minute wash until he felt refreshed. Adeline, having planned ahead, even bought him a set of casual clothes by the seaside. Although they were not branded, they were at least clean and proper. The newly dressed Roger was a sight that caught Adeline¡¯s eye. This attractive policewoman was not at all staid; she whistled and smiled, ¡°Handsome young man, back in my youth, a fellow like you would have been very popular with the girls.¡± Roger¡¯s words caused a surge of displeasure in Greg standing beside him. Even a blind man could see that this rugged brute obviously harbored some¡­ improper thoughts towards Adeline. ¡°What do you mean by ¡®pretty¡¯?¡± Roger curled his lip, but he had to admit that although his current body was handsome, it was indeed too slender, standing next to Greg made for a pitiful sight. The Body Strengthening Technique of Nivagard had enhanced his physique and strength, but this change was very secretive, and coupled with the scarcity of resources on the island, his body hadn¡¯t changed much in size. Roger was also aware that, judging by the physical age, his body should still be that of a teenager. The so-called feast¡­ Pizza, hamburgers, and spaghetti. To the present Roger, this kind of everyday fast food truly counted as a lavish meal. In his previous life, he wasn¡¯t particularly fond of this kind of fast food, but after gnawing on canned food and dried vegetables for a month on the island, burgers and fries were simply a delicacy. After the meal, Greg drove Roger and Adeline to the police station in Baytown. This place looked somewhat similar to the America of his previous life, yet there were some differences in the specifics. Looking at the scenery receding outside the car window, Roger truly felt that he could never return. In Roger¡¯s understanding, a small town¡¯s sheriff¡¯s office usually had just a couple of people, but Baytown was apparently larger than a normal town and had more police presence. It was evident that this town was affluent; the police station was impressive and spacious. The return of Adeline and Greg caused some commotion, and Roger was arranged to stay in a rest room. Honestly, he was very nervous at the moment. The body he occupied couldn¡¯t possibly have just popped out of a stone; judging by the age, the parents of this body would be at most around 40 years old. Truth be told, he was quite troubled. ¡°Forget it, if all else fails, just keep on pretending to have amnesia. After getting familiar for a while, then think of a way to muddle through,¡± he thought to himself. ¡°After all, some changes are quite normal after a period of solitary life on the island,¡± Roger silently considered. But just then, he noticed Greg and Adeline entering an office nearby with frowns on their faces. Moved by curiosity, Roger quietly opened the door and crept closer. It was well past the normal quitting time; after welcoming back Adeline and Greg, the police station was almost empty. Adeline¡¯s voice was intentionally lowered, but Greg, even though trying to suppress it, still sounded quite powerful. ¡°Are you sure? No missing persons matching Roger¡¯s identity found in the vicinity?¡± Adeline¡¯s voice sounded somewhat irritable. ¡°I¡¯m quite certain, and to avoid the possibility that the kid got his own name wrong because he hit his head, I even expanded the search range,¡± Greg responded. ¡°There¡¯s another point, that island¡¯s geographical location is quite remote, plus with the government planning new shipping lanes, there haven¡¯t been any ships passing by there for three months!¡± ¡°The nearest shipping route is a good hundred nautical miles away!¡± Greg¡¯s voice gradually grew louder. ¡°A teenager, after encountering a shipwreck, drifts to an island a hundred miles away.¡± ¡°Adeline, do you think that¡¯s possible?¡± Greg asked. Chapter 21 - Chapter 21: Chapter 021: The Long Awaited Stability Chapter 21: Chapter 021: The Long Awaited Stability Hearing this, Roger felt a sudden sinking in his heart. This outcome was countless times worse than what he had initially imagined. ¡°Greg, I don¡¯t think that necessarily means anything. Maybe his entire family has already perished, and given that nearly a month has passed since he landed on the island, it¡¯s understandable if his family gave up the search,¡± Adeline was still trying to find all sorts of reasons for Roger. ¡°Hey, Adeline, I know you¡¯re a mother¡­¡± ¡°But you¡¯re also a cop, and we need to play by the rules,¡± ¡°He¡¯s underage and has lost his memory. He¡¯s not even sure if his own name is real or fake. How can we find people under these circumstances?¡± ¡°And¡­¡± At this point, Greg deliberately lowered his voice, ¡°Do you really believe the kid has amnesia?¡± ¡°I always feel something odd about this whole thing. Everything fits too neatly. I can¡¯t put my finger on it, but I just don¡¯t like that kid!¡± Greg made no effort to hide his aversion to Roger. ¡°Do you think he¡¯s involved in Kant¡¯s case?¡± Adeline asked. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. He¡¯s just a kid, and there aren¡¯t any vehicles on the island. You¡¯re being too sensitive. Trust me, it¡¯s just coincidence and accident,¡± Adeline soothed. But Greg remained silent, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this now, but what do we do now?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t just keep the kid at the police station, can we?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s take him to my place,¡± Adeline suddenly spoke up. ¡°He¡¯s been through a sea tragedy and lived on the island for so long, there must be trauma in his heart. Leaving him here alone might cause problems,¡± ¡°Let him stay at my place for the night,¡± ¡°We can come up with another plan tomorrow. A living person can¡¯t just appear out of thin air. We¡¯ll definitely be able to help him find his parents,¡± Adeline said. ¡°To your place?¡± Greg clearly did not agree. ¡°You¡¯d rather take him to yours?¡± Adeline retorted. Greg¡¯s face fell, and he shook his head in a hurry. ¡°It¡¯s getting late, let¡¯s call it a day and rest. We can talk about it tomorrow,¡± Adeline said finally. Having been running around at sea the entire day, both of them were utterly exhausted. Hearing this, Roger quietly retreated to the corridor, then returned to the lounge, trying to act as if nothing had happened. His face was calm, but his heart was in utter shock. ¡°According to what Adeline and the others said, no ships passed near the island, and no one could drift on the sea for hundreds of miles.¡± ¡°So where did I actually come from?¡± ¡°Could I have been murdered and then my corpse thrown into the sea?¡± ¡°But there are no obvious injuries on the body.¡± ¡°And who exactly is the owner of this body?¡± His mind was full of doubts, chaotically trying to piece things together. The body he inhabited obviously wasn¡¯t of age yet. If he couldn¡¯t find his parents and couldn¡¯t prove his identity, the situation Roger faced would be very unfavorable. Click! Adeline pushed the door and entered, her face full of a kind smile, ¡°How are you? It¡¯s a bit boring being alone, isn¡¯t it?¡± She pulled a chair from across the table and sat down. ¡°That¡¯s some bad news. I just received word that due to the continuous storms of the past several days, a wide range of network outages have occurred in nearby areas. To verify your identity and notify your parents, it might take a bit longer,¡± Before Roger could react, she continued, ¡°But don¡¯t worry, you can stay at my place until we find your family.¡± Adeline smiled. ¡°Rest assured, I won¡¯t let you be left out in the wild again.¡± Roger¡¯s face showed a complex expression, ¡°I¡¯m afraid that might disrupt your life, perhaps I could¡­¡± He opened his mouth, thought carefully for a long time, but didn¡¯t know what to say. He knew nothing about this place, was a minor without an ID, without money¡­ Roger also had no idea where to go. It was somewhat ridiculous to think about it, on a deserted island not long ago, he had killed two monsters by himself, and slit a man¡¯s throat, but back in the city, he was worried about his identity and livelihood. ¡°Hey, where else could you go?¡± Adeline stood up with a smile. ¡°Come with me, my family should like you.¡± ¡°Alright then,¡± Roger nodded, then looked into Adeline¡¯s eyes, ¡°Thank you for everything you¡¯ve done for me today, I will surely repay you doubly!¡± Roger promised solemnly. Adeline¡¯s car was a somewhat rugged Dodge that seemed to have seen some years. She drove it under the moonlight to a two-story house. By then, the sky had turned completely dark, with hardly any pedestrians on the street. The town¡¯s pace of life was slow, seeming like a pleasant place to live. After parking the car, Adeline led Roger through the door into the room. The room was pitch black, Adeline frowned and couldn¡¯t help but shout, ¡°Amanda, Jack, why don¡¯t you turn on the lights when you are home?¡± She stretched her hand to the switch, saw the tidy room, and suddenly remembered something, ¡°Look at my memory¡­¡± ¡°Amanda and Jack are my kids. They had a mission this morning, and I wasn¡¯t sure I could return the same day, so I sent them to their aunt¡¯s,¡± she explained. ¡°Well now, it¡¯s just the two of us here,¡± Adeline said as she changed into her slippers. ¡°Relax a bit, you can think of this place as your own home,¡± Adeline told Roger, looking into his eyes. ¡°I know you¡¯re a strong kid, but sometimes, you need to let out your negative emotions.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too quiet.¡± ¡°So quiet that it scares me a little.¡± Hearing this, Roger¡¯s heart grew tense; he knew he had still shown some flaws that had allowed Adeline to sense something was off. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll show you to your room,¡± Adeline said without further ado, realizing it was best to drop the matter and then led Roger upstairs. Roger keenly noticed that the house seemed devoid of any traces of an adult male¡¯s presence. Had she divorced? The moon hung in the branches, illuminating the room brightly. Lying on the comfortable bed, Roger felt a long-lost sense of peace. His mind flooded with thoughts, he drifted off to sleep in a daze. But what he didn¡¯t know was that on an island far from Baytown, a figure had emerged from the waves under the moonlight. She wore no clothes, and the seawater cascaded down her blue skin. With each of her steps, when the moonlight shone upon her, the blue of her skin gradually receded, revealing a beautiful face. ¡°Burnt down?¡± The woman furrowed her brow, her body suddenly sprang to life, and like an agile cheetah, she quickly reached the lighthouse. Whoosh. She leapt lightly, swiftly scouring the lighthouse. ¡°Gone.¡± A cold gleam shot out from the woman¡¯s icy blue eyes. She turned in a direction, her cool gaze seeming to pierce through the vast sea, looking towards the tranquil and peaceful Baytown. Chapter 22 - Chapter 22: Chapter 022 Amanda (Please Vote, Please Favorite) Chapter 22: Chapter 022 Amanda (Please Vote, Please Favorite) ¡°` The next day, before dawn, Roger heard a faint argument coming from downstairs. He got dressed, opened his bedroom door, and made his way down the stairs. ¡°Amanda, you are not allowed to go anywhere today. Just stay at home and behave!¡± Adeline¡¯s voice was filled with restrained anger, ¡°This morning, your aunt called to tell me that you didn¡¯t come back to stay overnight!¡± ¡°This was our agreement, no matter how late you stay out, you must come home that day!¡± ¡°Look at your state right now!¡± Adeline lost her usual poise and calm. ¡°Why should I come back?¡± A crisp female voice floated lightly through the air. ¡°You¡¯re not even home anyway, what difference does it make if I come back to this kind of home or not?¡± Hurried footsteps resounded, and a young girl with messy red hair suddenly appeared at the top of the stairs. Obviously, she didn¡¯t expect someone else to be on the stairs, and she nearly bumped into Roger in her surprise. She looked at Roger with a face full of amazement. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Why are you in our house?¡± At that moment, Adeline also followed, and upon seeing Roger, a flicker of embarrassment passed over her face. She quickly introduced, ¡°This is Roger, and this is my daughter, Amanda¡­¡± Before she could finish, Amanda let out a light laugh, ¡°Is this your new boyfriend?¡± ¡°He seems much better than that silly Greg!¡± ¡°Amanda!¡± Adeline nearly growled through clenched teeth, and seeing her mother¡¯s genuine anger, Amanda realized her joke had gone too far. She shrank back and made a face at Roger. Then she stomped upstairs. ¡°Get changed, then come down for breakfast!¡± Amanda yelled loudly. Turning her gaze to Roger, Amanda looked apologetic, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, did our conversation disturb you?¡± ¡°This girl is getting more and more out of line, she¡¯ll be the death of me one day.¡± ¡°Mom¡­ I can hear you, you know.¡± Amanda¡¯s voice came from upstairs. Adeline decided to ignore her and waved at Roger, ¡°I¡¯ve made breakfast, come down and join us.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Roger nodded and didn¡¯t stand on ceremony. The breakfast was simple, with fried eggs, milk, bread, and some homemade blueberry jam. Before long, the girl named Amanda had changed her clothes and came down to the dining room. Her bright red hair was tied into a pretty ponytail behind her head, her skin was very white, her arms looked slender but her face was a bit plump. Underneath her pale skin, the few freckles on her cheeks were particularly noticeable. But it didn¡¯t spoil her beauty, instead, it added a mischievous youthful charm to her appearance. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Amanda rolled her eyes at Roger and said irritably. ¡°Amanda!¡± Adeline glared at the girl. Amanda continued to spread jam on her bread as if talking to herself, ¡°How can you be someone¡¯s mother? Someone is harboring ill intentions towards your daughter, and you just sit there doing nothing¡­¡± ¡°Shut up and eat your food!¡± ¡°` Adeline tapped the table neither too hard nor too softly. ¡°It¡¯s the weekend, so don¡¯t go running around. Stay and take a walk around town with Roger. It¡¯s his first time here, and he isn¡¯t familiar with Baytown at all.¡± Amanda was about to refuse with a pout, but her face suddenly lit up with a smile when she saw the several banknotes Adeline laid on the table. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom, I promise I¡¯ll get the job done.¡± Adeline turned to look at Roger. ¡°The Sheriff¡¯s office hasn¡¯t received any notification yet, so don¡¯t be in a hurry. Take advantage of the rest day to have a good look around Baytown for a couple of days. As soon as there¡¯s news, I¡¯ll inform you right away.¡± ¡°Thank you, Ms. Adeline.¡± Roger was genuinely grateful for the woman sheriff in front of him. With the matter of his own identity unresolved, Roger had not intended to wander around aimlessly, but on second thought, he knew nothing about this world and might as well take the opportunity to learn more. Additionally, he could look for a place to relocate the Hunter¡¯s Cabin. Last night, on his way back, he had quietly tested, and not a single house along the way met the relocation criteria. What was more disheartening was that Roger knew nothing about the requirements for relocation. Now he was utterly in the dark and could only go out and try his luck. Before leaving, Adeline pulled Amanda aside and whispered something to her. When they returned to Roger, Amanda¡¯s attitude had softened considerably, and she no longer made those playful jokes that were neither here nor there. The two of them rode their bicycles along the shaded path, idly wandering around the town. Roger noticed that Amanda took him to relatively secluded places. Once they were out, the redhead girl didn¡¯t talk much, and Roger¡¯s attention was all on the surrounding houses. In silence, they roamed all morning like this, one after the other. ¡°Did you really live on an island with a murderer for nearly a month?¡± Sitting in a fast food restaurant by the street, Amanda asked curiously while stuffing fries into her mouth. Roger was stunned. Given his understanding of Adeline, even if she were to explain his background, she probably wouldn¡¯t touch upon the specifics of the case. Seeing his confusion, Amanda nonchalantly explained, ¡°I sneaked a peek at the files she brought home, so I know what she¡¯ll be doing the next day.¡± Roger hadn¡¯t expected the seemingly careless girl in front of him, who appeared to clash with Adeline on the surface, to actually pay a lot of attention to her inwardly. Roger nodded his head. He didn¡¯t want to elaborate on this issue because the more he said, the more likely he was to slip up. ¡°Cool!¡± Amanda laughed and gave him a thumbs up. ¡°Tell me, what did you guys do on the island?¡± She stared at Roger with a quirky face. ¡°Although you¡¯ve lost weight and don¡¯t quite fit my aesthetic, I think in the eyes of some greasy middle-aged men, you must be¡­¡± ¡°Heh, did he lay a hand on you?¡± Amanda¡¯s curiosity was almost etched on her face as she leaned forward eagerly asking. Did she get fries stuck in her brain or what? Roger¡¯s face was lined with exasperation. How could someone ask questions like this? If he had really experienced something on the island, he might have a breakdown right on the spot under her relentless questioning, right? Just as he was unsure how to respond, Amanda¡¯s phone on the table suddenly vibrated. ¡°Hello?¡± Amanda answered the call. After a few words, her face showed a hint of hesitation. ¡°Today?¡± She glanced at Roger and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that won¡¯t work.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ okay, fine.¡± After hanging up, Amanda tentatively looked at Roger. ¡°Something the matter?¡± Roger asked tactfully. ¡°If you cover for me with Mom, I¡¯ll take you to a mysterious place later and introduce you to a few beauties along the way,¡± Amanda offered enticingly. Chapter 23 - Chapter 23: Chapter 023: Pages of Mysticism Remnants Chapter 23: Chapter 023: Pages of Mysticism Remnants ¡°Hey, we¡¯re here!¡± Roger and Amanda had not been waiting long in front of the restaurant before a gray pickup truck dashed into the parking lot. As the door swung open, a tall Caucasian young man stepped out. He looked at Roger with a guarded expression, ¡°Amanda, who is this guy?¡± Amanda shot the guy a glance, clearly upset, ¡°Why did you come?¡± Just then a curly-haired African American girl got out of the truck. She pulled Amanda aside and whispered, ¡°The place we¡¯re going is too far, and Bob happened to have a car. Besides, we all know how he feels about you.¡± ¡°So¡­¡± As she spoke, she gave Amanda a meaningful look. ¡°You dare use me for the sake of a car?!¡± Amanda said angrily. ¡°If you had a car, I¡¯d have Bob leave right now!¡± The African American girl snorted coldly. ¡°Fine¡­¡± Amanda¡¯s face fell, then introduced Roger to everyone. She did not reveal Roger¡¯s identity; instead, she merely said he was the son of her mother¡¯s friend. The African American girl was named Betty. Her healthy caramel skin made her simple jeans and white t-shirt look as though worn by a model. Beyond her, there was also a pale-skinned, curly-haired boy in thick glasses sitting in the truck. His name was Simpson. He seemed shy, only greeting Roger during the introduction. The last was a dazzling girl named Lucy with golden curls and a crop top. She didn¡¯t even spare Roger a glance, preoccupied with her cellphone, seemingly chatting with someone online. With Amanda included, there were supposed to be exactly five of them, enough to fill one car. Now with Roger joining, Bob, the young man, was clearly reluctant. However, Amanda certainly wouldn¡¯t leave Roger behind and sneak off by herself, so after some negotiation, Simpson volunteered to squeeze into the pickup truck¡¯s trunk, while Roger took the front seat, and the three girls crowded into the back. Then, amidst Bob¡¯s discontent, the group set off. ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree to take action next week? Why change the time all of a sudden?¡± Amanda asked Betty. ¡°It was Simpson; he¡¯s made new progress in his translation work. He just solved a key issue, and it happens that everyone is free this weekend.¡± ¡°Are all the things prepared?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve got it covered!¡± Betty declared while patting her chest. Bob¡¯s driving was faultless; the pickup glided smoothly on the highway, gradually leaving the town behind. Houses disappeared, and rows upon rows of tall trees began to appear. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Roger asked. ¡°Creek Valley Forest.¡± Amanda replied, ¡°Oh, I forgot, you¡¯re not from around here. Creek Valley Forest is the largest untouched woodland near Baytown, and if you go south, it even borders Rivervalley Town to the south.¡± ¡°Are we going camping?¡± Roger asked curiously. ¡°Heh.¡± Amanda didn¡¯t answer directly, ¡°You¡¯ll find out when we get there.¡± After leaving the town, they drove for about fifteen more minutes before Bob stopped the car in an open area. Everyone got out, grabbed their belongings, hoisted several large backpacks, and started trekking into the mountains. As a male, Roger inevitably was drafted for heavy lifting, and he and Bob carried backpacks of equal size. Bob, tall and burly, took the opportunity to show off his physique, casting a significant glance at Roger. ¡°Hey buddy, you really should participate more in outdoor activities. The shape you¡¯re in now, you won¡¯t get girls to like you in high school.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯m just fine the way I am.¡± Roger replied indifferently. He might have looked thin, but he was not weak at all. The Nivagard Body Strengthening Technique had subtly altered him. When it came to physical ability, despite Bob being a standout on the football team, he might not necessarily be a match for Roger. Roger was full of confidence about this. Bob was choked by Roger¡¯s words, his expression one of wanting to explode but unable to do so. His fists clenched and unclenched, and it seemed that if it weren¡¯t for wanting to impress the girls, he would have taken a swing at Roger already. Through the conversations along the way, Roger had also guessed the purpose of this small group¡¯s outing. Apart from Bob, the five of them formed a loose Mysticism group. Everyone was interested in mysterious events and liked to collect related information. During the holidays, they would gather to exchange information, and this time, it was said that Simpson had obtained an authentic fragment of a Mysticism text, which was why he had assembled everyone to experiment in the wild. Similarly, they attempted experiments like this almost every two weeks. The outcomes, of course, went without saying¡ªall ended in failure. However, it appeared that no one minded, as they persevered enthusiastically in their research. Roger had wanted to take a look at the so-called Mysticism fragment, but was denied access by everyone, citing confidentiality. According to Simpson, true Mystical knowledge was secretive, and the less people knew about it, the more effective it was. Roger was baffled. What kind of bullshit theory was that? ¡°Ah!¡± As they ventured deeper, the trees on either side gradually became taller and denser, obscuring their view with swathes of green. Lucy pulled out her phone with a troubled expression. For a social butterfly like her, not being able to check her social media even for a few minutes was torture. ¡°No signal on my phone.¡± ¡°This place is so remote, could there be any dangers?¡± She said with a worried look on her face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Last week, Betty and I had already scouted the area. It¡¯s actually not far from the highway. If we walk for another five minutes, we should reach the cave.¡± Amanda explained. Sure enough, it wasn¡¯t long before they arrived at a secluded valley with a cave about three meters in diameter at the bottom of it. ¡°We¡¯re here, this is the place!¡± By this time, the sun had shifted, and it was the hottest part of the afternoon. However, the air in the mountains was fresh, and the lush leaves sheltered them from the sunlight, offering a rare coolness. ¡°How about it, nice spot, right?¡± Amanda walked up beside Roger. ¡°Betty and Lucy are both top-notch beauties. Have you taken a liking to either of them? Do you want me to share some private information with you?¡± ¡°Bust-waist-hip measurements or personal quirks?¡± Amanda offered with a look of generous camaraderie. ¡°Forget it. Relatively speaking, I¡¯m more interested in the Mysticism fragment you just mentioned.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you talk to Simpson for me and borrow that document for me to see?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Amanda looked at Roger with a puzzled face, ¡°You¡¯re not interested in beauties?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not one of those¡­ are you?¡± Roger¡¯s face was lined with frustration as he stretched out his hand, ¡°The Mysticism fragment¡­¡± ¡°No problem, I¡¯ve got it covered.¡± Although they had come for the so-called Mysticism experiment, everybody was clearly prepared for camping. As they were busy setting up, Amanda quietly approached Simpson. Roger didn¡¯t catch what she said, but soon after, she handed a folded piece of paper to him. Even though Roger knew that transcendental things existed in the world, he did not believe that a few students could produce genuine Mystical materials so easily. He himself had no research on the subject; he was just curious. Thinking this, he unfolded the paper Amanda had passed to him. Chapter 24 - Chapter 24: Chapter 024 Ceremony Chapter 24: Chapter 024 Ceremony ¡°WTF!¡± Looking at the thing in his hand, Roger almost blurted out an expletive. ¡°Mysticism fragment?¡± ¡°Just this thing?¡± He flipped and turned the object in his hands several times, then looked at Amanda with a puzzled face. ¡°Are you sure you didn¡¯t get it wrong?¡± ¡°Nope, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Roger¡¯s face was indifferent regarding the question; he did not even want to answer it. When he initially obtained the Soul Transference Book, even without opening it, solely by the special material of the book and the feel of its weight and antiquity, Roger could tell that this was no ordinary item. When he truly opened the book, although he couldn¡¯t understand the text inside, for some reason, he could sense an odd rhythm between the lines. Indescribable, yet mysteriously profound. But what was this thing in front of him? Scribbles made with a ballpoint pen. And some dubious annotations. Roger felt a sense of powerlessness; suddenly, he thought that if he showed some things from the Soul Transference Book to these guys and bluffed a bit, they would probably believe him if he told them that he was the reincarnation of a Spirit Child. After all, the contents of the Soul Transference Book were genuine Mysticism knowledge. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Roger replied vaguely, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen this kind of thing before, it¡¯s indeed astounding to look at for the first time.¡± He laughed and gave a hearty chuckle, then passed the paper back to Amanda. ¡°Feeling surprised is the correct reaction.¡± Amanda nodded with an air of seriousness. ¡°Even I, who have studied Mysticism knowledge for so many years, was inevitably surprised when I first laid eyes on this fragment.¡± Amanda spoke with earnest, ¡°Most people are skeptical about Mysticism, but I can tell you unequivocally, there are things in this world that science cannot explain.¡± ¡°When I was little, I once¡­¡± ¡°Amanda!¡± Just then, a shout came from afar, interrupting what Amanda was about to say next. ¡°Get ready; we¡¯re about to start!¡± Betty shouted loudly. ¡°Come join us, let me show you the secrets of this world.¡± Amanda said to Roger. ¡°Uh¡­ no need.¡± Roger waved his hand, ¡°I don¡¯t understand any of this, and I wouldn¡¯t want to disturb you if I just watched from aside.¡± Knowing the authenticity, Roger naturally had no interest in partaking. With just a brief glance, he could confirm that the things recorded on that paper were all fakes. His own skills were limited, but he had a genuine Soul Transference Book in his hands. Thinking about it, Kant had prepared so many things for that ritual: a specific time, complicated formations and spells, as well as the necessary triggers. But what had Amanda and the others prepared? A cow leg bone bought from a butcher¡¯s shop, crow feathers, and¡­ a moldy loaf of bread? There was nothing Roger could say about such a ritual. Why would he join them, to see five young men and women awkwardly performing in a cave? He wasn¡¯t that bored. ¡°Alright then.¡± Amanda didn¡¯t insist, and in fact, such a mystical ritual indeed wasn¡¯t convenient for others to watch; even if she had been willing, the others might not have agreed. ¡°I¡¯ll arrange a meal with Betty for you next time.¡± Amanda smiled and patted Roger¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I know you¡¯ve had your eye on her for a while!¡± Following that, she gestured to the others in the distance and turned to leave. Roger sat in front of the temporary camp, shaking his head helplessly. Two important issues laid before him: the first was to find the new location of the Hunter¡¯s Cabin as soon as possible. The second was to discover his true identity. Various signs indicated there was a significant issue with his identity, and if there was a conspiracy behind all this, Roger, who knew nothing at the moment, was far too passive. This was not a normal world after all! On the other side, Amanda hurried to the entrance of the cave. ¡°He won¡¯t disturb us, will he?¡± Simpson adjusted his glasses and asked in a soft voice. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve already talked to him.¡± ¡°Having him there to guard will help us drive away the squirrels and rabbits in the mountains.¡± Amanda replied. ¡°Then let¡¯s get started.¡± Everyone nodded their heads, a look of eagerness showing on their faces, even Bob who had previously not been too interested in the matter displayed some curiosity. There were too many legends and stories passed down among the people, and most were quite interested in such mysterious events after being exposed to them. ¡°Lucy, start a fire here.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll draw the Array around the flames.¡± Simpson held what he called the mysticism¡¯s fragment in his hand, his expression solemn and he looked quite imposing. The way the bonfire was constructed was special, with three pieces of charcoal as the base, offset by another three pieces on top, and so on and so forth, until a complete, rotating pile of fire was built. Flames rose up. Amanda and the others stood at five different positions, with Simpson holding a piece of Soft Fragrant Wood, he started from Amanda, went past Betty, Bob, Lucy, and finally drew it under his own feet. The Array was completed in one go. Simpson looked nervous until he finished drawing the Array, then a relieved smile appeared on his face. ¡°The most difficult part is done.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s form the contract, and then recite the Spell.¡± He bit his finger and pressed it onto the fragment, then passed it down, with everyone else doing the same with their fingerprints. They exchanged glances. ¡°Are you ready?¡± Everyone nodded. ¡°Hear my call, ancient sleeper¡­¡± Simpson threw his handful of salt into the flames, and the others followed suit, throwing their items into the fire that cast a strange and solemn light on everyone¡¯s faces. Simpson¡¯s voice grew louder and more forceful, the other participants raising their hands, and as he shouted the final phrase, the fragments in their hands fell, fluttering into the flames. Boom! A single page ignited the flames, leaping up half a meter high, and as the fire consumed the paper, the text burned and twisted, peeling off. And then new text appeared. Strange, twisted fonts, intricate patterns, and five fingerprints congealed upon it! Meanwhile, Roger, who was sitting idle in the distance, suddenly felt a burning pain in his chest; he pulled open his shirt to find the amulet he had obtained from the island clinging tightly to his skin, trembling uncontrollably! ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Roger¡¯s face suddenly changed, and then it seemed he thought of something, he sprang up and dashed towards the distant cave at high speed! ¡°What have you done?¡± As Roger burst into the cave, the trembling of the amulet reached its peak. The group turned around, looking at Roger who had abruptly entered, with faces full of surprise. ¡°Stop it right now!¡± Roger yelled loudly, stepping forward to pull Amanda away, then pushed past Betty. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Simpson shouted angrily. A crude Array, a mess of various offerings, Roger¡¯s face darkened, then his gaze sharpened as he noticed a nearly burned fragment of the page on the fire. He saw the strange text on the fragment, and a faint triangular symbol in the corner! ¡°Three Holy Spirits?¡± Without a moment to spare, Roger stepped forward and kicked it! Chapter 25 - Chapter 25: Chapter 025 Mutation Chapter 25: Chapter 025 Mutation ¡°` Bang! Roger¡¯s kick missed, as Simpson suddenly burst out from the side. His frail body exploded with a terrible force, catching Roger off guard and knocking him over. The two rolled on the ground. Roger, using all his strength, pushed Simpson away. As he stood up, the pages of the book in the flames happened to burn up completely. Bang! A strand of red light suddenly exploded and shot out of the cave at an extreme speed, quickly disappearing from sight. ¡°What have you done?¡± ¡°What have you done?¡± Simpson pounced on Roger, relentlessly shouting. ¡°You¡¯ve ruined our ritual!¡± Roger was completely stunned. ¡°That red light just now?¡± But it was only then that he suddenly realized that everyone else in the cave had a confused look, as if they hadn¡¯t noticed the red light at all. Only Amanda, her gaze towards the mouth of the cave, seemed to be searching for something. ¡°What¡¯s going on, could only I see that red light?¡± Amanda then came back to her senses. She stepped forward and pulled the struggling Simpson away. ¡°Calm down, everyone just calm down!¡± Roger¡¯s attitude and Simpson¡¯s overreaction had everyone looking at each other in puzzlement. Amanda dragged Roger aside, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Didn¡¯t you say you wouldn¡¯t participate in this ritual?¡± ¡°Something¡¯s not right,¡± Roger frowned, unable to explain to Amanda. He vaguely replied, ¡°I have a bad feeling. Let¡¯s leave this place.¡± After thinking for a moment, Amanda nodded. With the occurrence such an incident, staying any longer seemed pointless. That¡¯s when Bob stepped forward, confronting Roger, ¡°After we get back to town, you¡¯ll get off my car and stay away, I don¡¯t want to see you again!¡± Roger ignored Bob. Although nothing had happened, he knew the ritual had finished, and he suspected the consequences would soon become evident. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± The group extinguished the flames, cleaned up any traces in the cave, and then hurriedly packed their belongings and left. By this time, the sun had already set behind the mountains. Other areas of the town must still have been brightly lit. But in the mountain¡¯s dense foliage, the visual was obscured, making it appear quite dim. ¡°The path is this way.¡± Betty led the way out of the mountains. Roger felt distinctly ostracized, the others were silent but carried a covert hostility towards him. Amanda was unable to mediate in such a situation. The group exited the valley and passed through a dense forest when suddenly a black shadow flashed through the tall grass. ¡°Ahh!¡± Simpson, who was walking at the back of the line, let out a piercing scream as he was abruptly tackled to the ground. Everyone looked sharply and saw a grey-black wild wolf, grim in appearance, pinning Simpson to the ground. Its sharp front claws viciously scratched at Simpson¡¯s face and chest, while its stark white teeth bit into his forearm, wildly tearing at him! ¡°Help!¡± ¡°Help!¡± Simpson shouted loudly, trying to push the beast off him, but he was too weak to do more than barely maintain the situation. Half of his face was mangled by the wolf¡¯s sharp claws, a piece of flesh on his cheek was torn away revealing the teeth in his mouth, blood soaked his entire chest in a gory mess. This scene terrified everyone. Lucy was closest; she fell on her backside, legs kicking wildly as she frantically crawled backward. The dry twigs on the ground tore up her expensive skirt and left multiple bloody marks on her sleek legs. ¡°Ah¡­ Ah!¡± ¡°` ¡°Wolves!¡± ¡°Help!¡± Bob, standing a little farther away, wasn¡¯t doing much better. Though tall and strong, typically embodying the tough guy image, at the end of the day he was still just a sixteen or seventeen-year-old high school student. Faced suddenly with a ferocious wild beast, confronted with the creature¡¯s unadulterated savagery and the bloodlust provoked by the smell of blood, he found himself paralyzed with indecision on the spot. Just at that critical moment, Roger sprang into action. The greatest change that the island experience had brought him was not physical strength, but the calmness he could muster in the face of danger. Bang! He kicked ferociously at the wolf¡¯s flank, putting all his strength into the blow. With his current power, even the wolf found it hard to withstand and was sent flying by his kick. Tumbling through the air with a low howl, the wolf rolled several times upon hitting the ground before it managed to rise, crouching low. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°How could there be wild beasts around here?!¡± Picking up a tree branch as thick as a wrist, Roger lowered his center of gravity, keeping a vigilant eye on the wolf while he asked loudly. ¡°This is impossible!¡± ¡°We are at the periphery of the mountains, and no trace of wild beasts has been seen for miles around for many years!¡± In such natural forest areas, though the living environment for wildlife is protected, to avoid trouble for nearby residents, rangers periodically clear the peripheral areas. Coupled with the occasional poaching by townsfolk, Baytown hadn¡¯t had any news of beast attacks for several years. Amanda had chosen this location precisely because of this knowledge. Amanda herself was in a panic. She and Betty quickly ran up to examine Simpson¡¯s injuries. Simpson looked awful, still struggling madly; it took a great deal of effort for them to calm him down. ¡°What are you waiting for? Come and help!¡± Amanda yelled at Bob, who was still standing in the distance. Roger didn¡¯t speak; his entire focus was on the wild beast opposite him. The sun was setting, and things in the woods were getting very dim. ¡°Could it be just a coincidence?¡± The wolf¡¯s crimson pupils and its somewhat deranged behavior planted doubts in Roger¡¯s mind. ¡°What do we do? What should we do?¡± Lucy cried out incoherently, ¡°Run! Run for it!¡± ¡°Once we get to the car, we¡¯ll be safe!¡± Roger had a bad feeling, but before he could speak, Lucy, nearly breaking down from fright, frantically ran off into the distance. ¡°Nobody move!¡± Roger couldn¡¯t help but curse under his breath. His kick had completely drawn the wolf¡¯s animosity. But now with Lucy¡¯s sudden mad dash, the beast¡¯s attention was diverted. With a sudden lunge, the wolf took off after her! ¡°Damn it!¡± Although Roger¡¯s physical condition had been greatly enhanced, in this type of forest environment, it was still impossible to catch up to a wolf in such a short distance. As expected, Lucy didn¡¯t get far before the wolf tackled her to the ground. Yet she was lucky, as she fell down a slope, her body rolling down swiftly and avoiding the following bites. In that moment, having pushed his physical abilities to the limit, Roger finally caught up, sweeping the wooden stick he held across, hitting it close to the wolf¡¯s hind legs, landing a blow on its rump. The stick was far more potent than fists and feet had been, and this time when the wolf was sent flying, it struggled for a moment before getting back on its feet. Its hind leg was clearly injured, and its movements were no longer as agile as before. The beast¡¯s ferocity was thoroughly aroused; it fixed a deadly glare on Roger, growling low in its throat. At that moment, Roger deeply missed the iron axe he had left on the island.