A rip-off! What a rip-off!

He instinctively covered the cysts that burns had left on his face, and an image instantly flashed through his mind of that doctor popping them one after another.

Clack-clack-clack-clack-

He was terrified, trembling, his teeth chattering uncontrollably.

[Burned Ghost's fear +20]

[Burned Ghost's fear +20]

Just then, Lynn took off his fluid-spattered mask, gave the Burned Ghost a friendly smile, and said,

"I'm going out back to get some tools. Please wait a little longer. You're next."

Every cyst on the Burned Ghost's body jumped in fright. (ΩДΩ)

What a terrifying smile!!

Why did he smile so creepily when he said I was next?!

[Burned Ghost's Sanity Value -20]

[Burned Ghost's Sanity Value -20]

He had only come today because he had seen that old freak from the Bloodsaw Apothecary leave. He had wanted to try his luck and see if he could get his burns treated with a little less terror.

But who could have known that the old freak had left a little freak behind?!

Trembling, he looked at the ghost infant lying on the counter, twitching nonstop, its entire face practically reduced to black mush.

"Could... could that be what happens to me next...?"

He murmured.

Just then.

From behind the curtain leading to the backyard came a series of harsh, violent sounds of a chainsaw being started.

Rrrip-rrrip-

Bzzzzzz-

The Burned Ghost clutched his head, so terrified that every bone in his body nearly fell apart. (ΩДΩ)

A chainsaw!! It's a chainsaw!!

Didn't he say he was going out back to get some tools?!

Then why are there chainsaw noises coming from the backyard?!

What the hell are you getting a chainsaw for?!

An image instantly flashed through his mind of a chainsaw murderer advancing toward him, step by step, with a deranged grin on his face.

Black smoke rose from his head in wisps. (꒪Д꒪)

And then, the very next moment.

His ears twitched.

Thud-

Thud-

The footsteps are getting closer!

That man is coming this way with a chainsaw!

A dark silhouette slowly appeared on the curtain leading to the backyard, and the roar of the chainsaw sounded almost right in front of him.

"Aaah-aaah-aaah-"

The Burned Ghost clutched his head in terror as numbers floated up above it one after another.

[Sanity -20!]

[Sanity -30!]

[Sanity -40!]

The next moment, with his Sanity Value completely depleted, the Burned Ghost scrambled toward the door in terror.

"A rip-off!! What a rip-off!! Help! Somebody help!!"

[Ding! Burned Ghost quest failed!]

[Ding! Burned Ghost's fear of you +400!]

[Ding! Congratulations on obtaining your first customer whose attitude toward you has reached "extreme terror." You have received 100 Skeleton Coins.]

[Ding! Your renown +10]

Lynn: "???"

He lifted the curtain and stared in astonishment at the trail of ashes the Burned Ghost had left while crawling outside.

"What happened? My scalpel was dull, so I just went to sharpen it. Why did he leave without a word?"

And what's this about his fear of me going up by 400?

How did he become so terrified of me?

I've always believed in service with a smile, okay? I'm polite and take my customers seriously. Shouldn't my friendly attitude make him like me even more?

Lynn couldn't figure it out.

Still, if he was gone, he was gone.

Lynn felt it was a pity.

In any case, he had to get this ghost baby sorted out first.

Ting-

The sharp little carving knife in Lynn's hand gleamed brilliantly.

An hour later.

Sitting at the counter, Lynn set down his knife with a satisfied smile and looked at the ghost infant sitting upright before him.

"Doesn't that look much better now?"

A tiny cherry mouth, chubby cheeks, big eyes, and a delicate nose.

Under Lynn's meticulous sculpting, that terrifying, indescribable mass of twisted flesh had become cute and lifelike.

Before transmigrating, Lynn had been top of his class in every handicrafts course.

Without exception, the modeling-clay portraits he made had earned unanimous praise and acclaim from his classmates.

Lynn smiled, feeling thoroughly pleased.

Just then, an eye with a vertical pupil suddenly grew on the ghost infant's forehead.

Pop-

Lynn promptly jabbed it and burst it.

With his eyes closed, he said, "That's not a place for an eye. I put a lot of effort into sculpting this face. If you want to ruin it, don't blame me for taking a knife to you again."

[Evil Spirit Blood Infant's fear +50]

[Evil Spirit Blood Infant's fear +50]

[Ding! The system has detected that the Evil Spirit Blood Infant's fear of you has outpaced the growth of its resentment. The danger level has dropped to -321% and continues to fall.]

[Ding! You have triggered a hidden quest: Suppress the ghost infant's resentment. Current completion: 321%. You have received rewards: 151 Skeleton Coins, cosmetic surgery skill experience +100, special reward: Vengeful Spirit Hair x5.]

Lynn froze.

So even this could trigger a hidden quest?

It seemed that many of the system's functions still awaited his exploration.

The next moment.

Five long strands of hair appeared in his hand.

A description of the five strands immediately appeared before his eyes.

[Vengeful Spirit Hair]: Hair from a female ghost containing extreme resentment. Once possessed, the target will have the hair wound tightly around their neck and be strangled to death.

Lynn rubbed his chin.

This seems like a pretty good self-defense item, but there are only five strands. I'll have to think carefully before using them.

Lynn put the hair away, sat at the counter, and continued clicking away at his abacus as he quietly waited for the next customer.

Of course.

He kept his attention on the ghost baby in front of him at all times.

Whenever it dared show even the slightest sign of deforming, Lynn immediately pressed it back into place and fixed it again.

Time flew by.

The light of the Soul Lamp outside gradually dimmed.

That meant night was about to fall upon this world.

The way to distinguish day from night in this dark world was to watch the light of the Soul Lamp, because at night, no matter what one tried, a Soul Lamp would not light.

And that meant.

Without a Soul Lamp's protection, any monster could freely break into your shelter and tear you to pieces.

Just as the light was fading and Lynn was about to close up.

"Knock, knock, knock-"

A knock came from outside the door.

A tall man appeared there, wearing a thick black cloak and a black top hat, with long, gray-white hair.

His enormous shadow stretched in through the doorway, creating a powerful sense of pressure.

Lynn's heart immediately tightened.

Because that man's status panel had appeared before his eyes.

[Demon Hunter, Ocalos]

[Race]: Human

[Level: ???]

[Combat ability]: You will die. There will be no surprises.

[Alignment: Chaotic good]

[Description]: A powerful Demon Hunter who travels alone through the dark world. He belongs to no organization and is extremely mysterious. He has devoted his entire life to hunting enormous monsters he deems evil. Please do not attempt to learn about him. This is extremely dangerous.

Lynn: "???"

He seems to be... a human!