Lynne, his smile fixed, focused his gaze on the depths of the kitchen.
Gurgle—Gurgle—
Rich aromas of spices wafted from afar.
Lynne saw a towering figure, over two meters tall, stirring something in a pot at a stove in the far end of the kitchen. Clad in a butcher's apron and chef's hat, his physique was imposing.
The enticing scent made one's mouth water involuntarily.
Lynne strode towards the figure. As he approached, he heard the hoarse voice of the colossal being.
"Don't disturb me. I'm concocting a new soup. If you have something to say, wait until I'm done."
Lynne's eyes were instantly drawn to the creature's description.
[Pigfolk Butcher: ???]
[Race: Pigfolk]
[Alignment: Lawful Evil]
[Combat Ability: ???]
[Description: Employed as the head chef by the Home of Happiness, no creature knows where he comes from or why he is here. However, in the legends of various worlds, there seem to be tales about him. Some creatures who have encountered him tried to confirm his identity with the Pigfolk, but without exception, all Pigfolk who heard about him showed immense fear...]
[System Warning: Do not attempt to provoke him; it will not benefit you.]
[System Warning: He values contracts, although still evil. He does not kill without reason during the contract period.]
Lynne quickly scanned the introduction. He swiftly regained his composure, grinning as he said: "Excuse me, I'm looking for someone named Bayi, a member of this household. The mistress mentioned he might be with you, so I wanted to check."
Gurgle—Gurgle—
The pigfolk butcher continuously stirred the thick soup, its aroma growing stronger.
"If you're referring to a young human, I know of him. Not long ago, a male puppet brought him to me; he's now one of my ingredients."
Lynne grinned broadly, "I see you don't seem to be a member of this big family."
The pigfolk butcher stirred the pot nonchalantly, replying, "I accepted the generous employment of that young girl. For three days, I am the head chef here."
Lynne, still smiling radiantly, suggested: "In that case, could we make a trade? I could exchange something else for that ingredient."
As the pigfolk butcher added a large quantity of spices to the pot, he asked indifferently: "Do you also wish to taste my soup?"
Lynne's smile froze momentarily.
Slosh—
The pigfolk butcher scooped up a spoonful of the creamy soup and slurped it noisily. The thick soup dripped from his chin and tusks onto the floor.
"A trade is possible, but my soup requires one final and most essential ingredient. If you can find and bring it to me, we can make the exchange."
[Ding! You have triggered a special hidden quest: The Pigfolk Butcher's Ingredient]
[Quest Introduction: Find the suitable ingredient for the pigfolk butcher to complete his soup.]
[Quest Reward: +10 Favorability of the Pigfolk Butcher, a special reward from him, exemption from his retribution.]
Lynne calmly inquired, "What kind of ingredient do you need?"
The pigfolk butcher replied indifferently, "I need brain tissue from a high-tier creature. It must be sufficiently flavorful, containing knowledge, and filled with resentment. Find that, and we can deal."
Turning back to his stove, he stirred his soup.
"You may leave now. Until you find it, do not touch anything in the kitchen unnecessarily, to avoid incurring my ill will."
Lynne's gaze flickered as he pondered deeply, his expression somber. Firstly, he deduced that this pigfolk butcher was not the same one he had encountered before. He was merely hired and not allied with the House of Happiness. This meant he wouldn't follow the House's orders beyond kitchen matters.
Secondly, as a creature of lawful evil, he would follow his own set of rules in his wrongdoing, not acting in a totally unpredictable or insane manner like those of chaotic evil.
Thirdly, could the contents of his pot be Bayi?
Lynne's eyes flashed as he examined the soup.
[Unfinished Exotic Broth: A thick soup prepared by the pigfolk butcher with a blend of spices and fresh ingredients, containing special meats that tantalize the taste buds.]
No clear indications.
Lynne furrowed his brow, thinking fast. If so, then let's make a trade.
Sufficiently fresh, imbued with knowledge, and filled with resentment.
Lynne's brows were tightly knit in contemplation.
At that moment, Lynne's left hand spoke up, lowering its voice: "Head, do you remember the Heart Eater's brain you were planning to give to your master? That might work."
Lynne was momentarily stunned. This suggestion from Hidari instantly brought together the three required elements.
Indeed, since it was preserved in his own system space, the brain was sufficiently fresh! As the president of the Demonfolk Association, it was filled with endless knowledge! And, having been killed by Lynne himself, it harbored ample resentment!
"Let's try it."
With a grave expression, Lynne strode up behind the pigfolk butcher.
"You found it so quickly?"
The pigfolk butcher, still not turning around, responded with a faint voice.
Lynne, composed, adjusted his monocle, then pulled a bloodied brain from his system space and presented it.
"I believe this should meet all the criteria you mentioned."
Hearing this, the pigfolk butcher turned around, allowing Lynne to see his true form for the first time.
Atop his hulking body was a boar's head, with sharp, spike-like teeth crammed into a rotting mouth and two long tusks protruding like sharp barbs. His eyes were filled with chaos and evil.
The pigfolk butcher glanced at Lynne briefly before focusing on the blood-soaked brain in his hand. Seemingly captivated, he took the brain, sniffing it carefully. Gently squeezing, he extracted a bit of fluid and tasted it.
Silence enveloped the surroundings.
After several seconds, the pigfolk butcher opened his eyes, licked his tusks, and said: "It indeed contains vast knowledge and is filled with intriguing resentment and malice. However, the ingredients are not fresh, and they contain some unnecessary pathologies. But as the final touch to the soup, it will suffice."
With a plop, he tossed the brain into the boiling broth.
[Ding! You have completed the special hidden quest: The Pigfolk Butcher's Ingredient. You have earned the rewards: +10 Favorability with the pigfolk butcher, who will not partake in any retribution against you!]
[Ding! The pigfolk butcher's special reward is being prepared. Please return in half an hour to claim it.]
Gurgle—Gurgle—
The pigfolk butcher turned back to stir the soup in his pot, speaking indifferently: "The trade is complete. The ingredient you seek is in the cold storage. Fetch it yourself, and remember, do not touch what is not yours, and do not meddle with things you shouldn't."
Creak—
The sound of a door opening echoed.
Lynne's gaze instantly fell on a dark, open door nearby, from which waves of cold air rolled out, sending shivers down one's spine.
Lynne grinned and said, "Thank you, I understand."
...
Click—
Lynne crossed the threshold into the kitchen's cold storage. Rusty iron hooks, dangling from above, clanked against each other, producing a series of crisp metallic sounds. Clearly, these hooks once held the carcasses of various creatures hunted and brought here.
Lynne looked up, searching carefully. In the next moment, his eyes landed on a figure suspended in mid-air by one of the hooks at the back of the cold storage.
"Bayi?!"
Lynne instantly recognized the figure. Without a second thought, he quickly pulled on the hook, lowering the suspended young man bit by bit. Once down, Lynne rushed to his side, frowning at the pale face.
Lynne squinted, lifting the young man's clothes. He immediately saw a rough, sewn scar stretching from his chest to his abdomen.
Rip—
Calmly, Lynne cut open the stitches on his chest with a knife. He then saw that the young man's stomach and chest cavity were stuffed with blood-soaked cotton, and his internal organs had been removed.
"Indeed! He's been turned into a puppet! But it's fortunate he met me! Hold on, my fellow townsman. Although your kidney is cooked, I've managed to retrieve your other organs!"
Lynne's eyes brimmed with tears. Seeing a peer from the same world suffer so, how could he, yearning to return home, not feel sorrow?
"Hold on... don't be afraid... I'll stitch you up right away. From now on, you'll be my brother, and we'll rely on each other as fellow townspeople..."
Lynne was about to retrieve the organs he had collected from the dining table from his system space.
But at that moment, Bayi, lying on the ground, moved unnaturally.
Click-click-click—
In an instant, Bayi's limbs awkwardly propped him up, his head thrown back as his vacant eyes snapped open, his body resembling a spider as he arched up.
Lynne was taken aback.
"Whoosh—"
Bayi's head rotated unnaturally towards Lynne, his eyes rapidly regaining a frenzied and diseased look as he emitted a piercing screech.
[Ding! Crisis level 10%]
[Ding! Crisis level 20%]
Slap—
Lynne delivered a strong slap.
Bayi's body was sent flying several meters away by the force of the blow.
"He's still being controlled!"
Lynne cracked his neck, gritted his teeth, and grabbed a nearby iron hook, swinging it in his hand.
"Don't be afraid, bro. I'm here for you. I'll treat you, and you'll be just as you were before!"
Whirl—
Revived, Bayi scrambled up from the floor with excitement, crawling up the wall like a spider.
"Alice loves you so much... She doesn't want me anymore... Hahaha... Alice loves you..."
Bang—
Lynne raised his gun and fired.
Bayi, rapidly crawling on the wall, plummeted like a shot bird.
[Ding! You've shot Bayi, your firearms proficiency +1]
"..."
"..."
As Bayi lay on the ground with vacant eyes, his limbs twitched, and sparks crackled from his chest, causing his body to convulse uncontrollably.
Lynne, with a stern expression, blew away the smoke rising from the gun's barrel and strode towards him.
Stopping about ten meters from Bayi, Lynne asked seriously, "Hey bro, how are you feeling? Are you alright?"
Silence followed briefly.
Then, in the next moment, Bayi suddenly sat up with a start, opening his bloody maw wide at Lynne and letting out a series of shrill screeches.
Bang—
A gunshot echoed.
[Ding! You have shot Bayi again, increasing your firearms proficiency +1]
Watching Bayi lying there, frothing at the mouth and convulsing, Lynne thought it was still unsafe.
Bang—
He fired another shot.
[Ding! You have shot Bayi, increasing your firearms proficiency +1]
This time, Bayi stopped moving entirely.
Lynne, now relieved, quickly approached with a serious demeanor and bound him tightly with chains.
"Bro, I didn't want to shoot you, but in our world's logic, you'd be considered dead after having your organs removed. But this Dark World is different. Besides the body, there are strange ways to keep consciousness, like curses and possession by evil spirits.
The shots I fired were for your own good. They're one of the few weapons I have that can counter curses and evil spirits. Their holy properties can greatly suppress these oddities. If you still have your consciousness, open your mouth and speak to me."
Lynne watched him intently.
After a while, Bayi's eyelashes fluttered, and he weakly opened his eyes, murmuring:
"I..."
Bang—
Another gunshot.
[Ding! You have shot Bayi, increasing your firearms proficiency +1]
Lynne, his smile fixed, focused his gaze on the depths of the kitchen.
Gurgle—Gurgle—
Rich aromas of spices wafted from afar.
Lynne saw a towering figure, over two meters tall, stirring something in a pot at a stove in the far end of the kitchen. Clad in a butcher's apron and chef's hat, his physique was imposing.
The enticing scent made one's mouth water involuntarily.
Lynne strode towards the figure. As he approached, he heard the hoarse voice of the colossal being.
"Don't disturb me. I'm concocting a new soup. If you have something to say, wait until I'm done."
Lynne's eyes were instantly drawn to the creature's description.
[Pigfolk Butcher: ???]
[Race: Pigfolk]
[Alignment: Lawful Evil]
[Combat Ability: ???]
[Description: Employed as the head chef by the Home of Happiness, no creature knows where he comes from or why he is here. However, in the legends of various worlds, there seem to be tales about him. Some creatures who have encountered him tried to confirm his identity with the Pigfolk, but without exception, all Pigfolk who heard about him showed immense fear...]
[System Warning: Do not attempt to provoke him; it will not benefit you.]
[System Warning: He values contracts, although still evil. He does not kill without reason during the contract period.]
Lynne quickly scanned the introduction. He swiftly regained his composure, grinning as he said: "Excuse me, I'm looking for someone named Bayi, a member of this household. The mistress mentioned he might be with you, so I wanted to check."
Gurgle—Gurgle—
The pigfolk butcher continuously stirred the thick soup, its aroma growing stronger.
"If you're referring to a young human, I know of him. Not long ago, a male puppet brought him to me; he's now one of my ingredients."
Lynne grinned broadly, "I see you don't seem to be a member of this big family."
The pigfolk butcher stirred the pot nonchalantly, replying, "I accepted the generous employment of that young girl. For three days, I am the head chef here."
Lynne, still smiling radiantly, suggested: "In that case, could we make a trade? I could exchange something else for that ingredient."
As the pigfolk butcher added a large quantity of spices to the pot, he asked indifferently: "Do you also wish to taste my soup?"
Lynne's smile froze momentarily.
Slosh—
The pigfolk butcher scooped up a spoonful of the creamy soup and slurped it noisily. The thick soup dripped from his chin and tusks onto the floor.
"A trade is possible, but my soup requires one final and most essential ingredient. If you can find and bring it to me, we can make the exchange."
[Ding! You have triggered a special hidden quest: The Pigfolk Butcher's Ingredient]
[Quest Introduction: Find the suitable ingredient for the pigfolk butcher to complete his soup.]
[Quest Reward: +10 Favorability of the Pigfolk Butcher, a special reward from him, exemption from his retribution.]
Lynne calmly inquired, "What kind of ingredient do you need?"
The pigfolk butcher replied indifferently, "I need brain tissue from a high-tier creature. It must be sufficiently flavorful, containing knowledge, and filled with resentment. Find that, and we can deal."
Turning back to his stove, he stirred his soup.
"You may leave now. Until you find it, do not touch anything in the kitchen unnecessarily, to avoid incurring my ill will."
Lynne's gaze flickered as he pondered deeply, his expression somber. Firstly, he deduced that this pigfolk butcher was not the same one he had encountered before. He was merely hired and not allied with the House of Happiness. This meant he wouldn't follow the House's orders beyond kitchen matters.
Secondly, as a creature of lawful evil, he would follow his own set of rules in his wrongdoing, not acting in a totally unpredictable or insane manner like those of chaotic evil.
Thirdly, could the contents of his pot be Bayi?
Lynne's eyes flashed as he examined the soup.
[Unfinished Exotic Broth: A thick soup prepared by the pigfolk butcher with a blend of spices and fresh ingredients, containing special meats that tantalize the taste buds.]
No clear indications.
Lynne furrowed his brow, thinking fast. If so, then let's make a trade.
Sufficiently fresh, imbued with knowledge, and filled with resentment.
Lynne's brows were tightly knit in contemplation.
At that moment, Lynne's left hand spoke up, lowering its voice: "Head, do you remember the Heart Eater's brain you were planning to give to your master? That might work."
Lynne was momentarily stunned. This suggestion from Hidari instantly brought together the three required elements.
Indeed, since it was preserved in his own system space, the brain was sufficiently fresh! As the president of the Demonfolk Association, it was filled with endless knowledge! And, having been killed by Lynne himself, it harbored ample resentment!
"Let's try it."
With a grave expression, Lynne strode up behind the pigfolk butcher.
"You found it so quickly?"
The pigfolk butcher, still not turning around, responded with a faint voice.
Lynne, composed, adjusted his monocle, then pulled a bloodied brain from his system space and presented it.
"I believe this should meet all the criteria you mentioned."
Hearing this, the pigfolk butcher turned around, allowing Lynne to see his true form for the first time.
Atop his hulking body was a boar's head, with sharp, spike-like teeth crammed into a rotting mouth and two long tusks protruding like sharp barbs. His eyes were filled with chaos and evil.
The pigfolk butcher glanced at Lynne briefly before focusing on the blood-soaked brain in his hand. Seemingly captivated, he took the brain, sniffing it carefully. Gently squeezing, he extracted a bit of fluid and tasted it.
Silence enveloped the surroundings.
After several seconds, the pigfolk butcher opened his eyes, licked his tusks, and said: "It indeed contains vast knowledge and is filled with intriguing resentment and malice. However, the ingredients are not fresh, and they contain some unnecessary pathologies. But as the final touch to the soup, it will suffice."
With a plop, he tossed the brain into the boiling broth.
[Ding! You have completed the special hidden quest: The Pigfolk Butcher's Ingredient. You have earned the rewards: +10 Favorability with the pigfolk butcher, who will not partake in any retribution against you!]
[Ding! The pigfolk butcher's special reward is being prepared. Please return in half an hour to claim it.]
Gurgle—Gurgle—
The pigfolk butcher turned back to stir the soup in his pot, speaking indifferently: "The trade is complete. The ingredient you seek is in the cold storage. Fetch it yourself, and remember, do not touch what is not yours, and do not meddle with things you shouldn't."
Creak—
The sound of a door opening echoed.
Lynne's gaze instantly fell on a dark, open door nearby, from which waves of cold air rolled out, sending shivers down one's spine.
Lynne grinned and said, "Thank you, I understand."
...
Click—
Lynne crossed the threshold into the kitchen's cold storage. Rusty iron hooks, dangling from above, clanked against each other, producing a series of crisp metallic sounds. Clearly, these hooks once held the carcasses of various creatures hunted and brought here.
Lynne looked up, searching carefully. In the next moment, his eyes landed on a figure suspended in mid-air by one of the hooks at the back of the cold storage.
"Bayi?!"
Lynne instantly recognized the figure. Without a second thought, he quickly pulled on the hook, lowering the suspended young man bit by bit. Once down, Lynne rushed to his side, frowning at the pale face.
Lynne squinted, lifting the young man's clothes. He immediately saw a rough, sewn scar stretching from his chest to his abdomen.
Rip—
Calmly, Lynne cut open the stitches on his chest with a knife. He then saw that the young man's stomach and chest cavity were stuffed with blood-soaked cotton, and his internal organs had been removed.
"Indeed! He's been turned into a puppet! But it's fortunate he met me! Hold on, my fellow townsman. Although your kidney is cooked, I've managed to retrieve your other organs!"
Lynne's eyes brimmed with tears. Seeing a peer from the same world suffer so, how could he, yearning to return home, not feel sorrow?
"Hold on... don't be afraid... I'll stitch you up right away. From now on, you'll be my brother, and we'll rely on each other as fellow townspeople..."
Lynne was about to retrieve the organs he had collected from the dining table from his system space.
But at that moment, Bayi, lying on the ground, moved unnaturally.
Click-click-click—
In an instant, Bayi's limbs awkwardly propped him up, his head thrown back as his vacant eyes snapped open, his body resembling a spider as he arched up.
Lynne was taken aback.
"Whoosh—"
Bayi's head rotated unnaturally towards Lynne, his eyes rapidly regaining a frenzied and diseased look as he emitted a piercing screech.
[Ding! Crisis level 10%]
[Ding! Crisis level 20%]
Slap—
Lynne delivered a strong slap.
Bayi's body was sent flying several meters away by the force of the blow.
"He's still being controlled!"
Lynne cracked his neck, gritted his teeth, and grabbed a nearby iron hook, swinging it in his hand.
"Don't be afraid, bro. I'm here for you. I'll treat you, and you'll be just as you were before!"
Whirl—
Revived, Bayi scrambled up from the floor with excitement, crawling up the wall like a spider.
"Alice loves you so much... She doesn't want me anymore... Hahaha... Alice loves you..."
Bang—
Lynne raised his gun and fired.
Bayi, rapidly crawling on the wall, plummeted like a shot bird.
[Ding! You've shot Bayi, your firearms proficiency +1]
"..."
"..."
As Bayi lay on the ground with vacant eyes, his limbs twitched, and sparks crackled from his chest, causing his body to convulse uncontrollably.
Lynne, with a stern expression, blew away the smoke rising from the gun's barrel and strode towards him.
Stopping about ten meters from Bayi, Lynne asked seriously, "Hey bro, how are you feeling? Are you alright?"
Silence followed briefly.
Then, in the next moment, Bayi suddenly sat up with a start, opening his bloody maw wide at Lynne and letting out a series of shrill screeches.
Bang—
A gunshot echoed.
[Ding! You have shot Bayi again, increasing your firearms proficiency +1]
Watching Bayi lying there, frothing at the mouth and convulsing, Lynne thought it was still unsafe.
Bang—
He fired another shot.
[Ding! You have shot Bayi, increasing your firearms proficiency +1]
This time, Bayi stopped moving entirely.
Lynne, now relieved, quickly approached with a serious demeanor and bound him tightly with chains.
"Bro, I didn't want to shoot you, but in our world's logic, you'd be considered dead after having your organs removed. But this Dark World is different. Besides the body, there are strange ways to keep consciousness, like curses and possession by evil spirits.
The shots I fired were for your own good. They're one of the few weapons I have that can counter curses and evil spirits. Their holy properties can greatly suppress these oddities. If you still have your consciousness, open your mouth and speak to me."
Lynne watched him intently.
After a while, Bayi's eyelashes fluttered, and he weakly opened his eyes, murmuring:
"I..."
Bang—
Another gunshot.
[Ding! You have shot Bayi, increasing your firearms proficiency +1]
