Enno said calmly, “I run a small business here. No flesh-for-payment. Don't worry, I'll just take your right eye. If you make some money later, you can come back and buy it back.”
The girl, with a face full of despair (o(╥﹏╥)o), replied, “O-okay... fine... sniffle”
...
A few minutes later.
Ding! You've obtained a rare item: Blood Doll's Right Eye x1
Blood Doll's Right Eye: Carrying it increases hunger by +10. Skill available: Invincible Stomach.
Ding! You've completed the task. Reward: 50 Skeleton Coins, +50 Surgical Skill Experience, Special Reward: Blood Doll's Fear +30, Doll's Fear +50
Enno calmly washed the blood off his hands, then placed the eyeball into a vial with special reagents, labeling it carefully. He turned around and looked at the girl, who was now covering one eye with a tearful expression (o(x﹏╥)o), and said politely,
“Thanks for coming. Bloodsaw Apothecary is always here to serve you.”
Enno bowed slightly.
The girl, still clutching her doll and crying (o(x﹏╥)o), walked out. You could hear her voice from a distance:
“I should just go find my mom. I'm never coming back here again... sob... What a rip-off place...”
Ding! You've triggered a hidden quest: Blood Doll Finds Her Mom. Help Blood Doll find her mother. Reward upon completion: Blood Doll's Goodwill +200, Doll's Goodwill +100, Special Reward x1
Current Quest Progress: 2%
Enno paused for a moment. Looking outside, the girl's figure had already vanished into the darkness.
Two percent complete?
His gaze immediately fell on the organs he had extracted from the girl's stomach and placed on the counter:
Unknown Woman's Hair x50
Unknown Woman's Ears x2
Unknown Woman's Comb x1
Enno: “......”
He had to admit, he had a pretty terrifying suspicion forming in his mind.
Enno stood up, cleaned the organs, and stored them in vials, planning to bring it up with the girl the next time she came by.
He opened his panel.
Thanks to the previous rewards, he had gained 50 points of surgical skill experience and an additional 50 skeleton coins for himself.
The customers' money was the shop's, and he couldn't touch it.
So, he now had a total of 150 skeleton coins to his name.
Skeleton coins were the basic currency in this world, usable as a general equivalent, but Enno hadn't really stepped outside the shop in the past two years.
So, he hadn't had the chance to use them.
But more money was never a bad thing.
Time flew by quickly.
Enno sat there with his eyes closed, holding the flensing knife, like a statue.
The soul lamp at the door represented a kind of rule, a message to the spirits in the dark that this was claimed territory. If they harbored malice, they would pay the price.
Most spirits and monsters generally wouldn't invade when the soul lamp was lit.
Because within the boundaries protected by the soul lamp, the owner could use it to suppress any invading spirits or ghosts if they wished.
But there were always exceptions—some extremely evil spirits who feared nothing.
Knock-knock-knock—
At that moment, there was another knock on the door.
“Welcome.”
Enno opened his eyes.
Instantly, he saw a huge, pig-headed monster standing at the door. One of its eyes was bloodied and empty, with no eyeball. It wore a blood-red apron and held a butcher knife that seemed to have just cut something.
A panel immediately appeared in front of Enno.
Pig-Headed Demon
Level: 21
Race: Aberration
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Combat Ability: As long as you're willing to be eaten...
Introduction: The owner of the Pork Butcher Shop in Wraith Alley. He's your “friendly” neighbor who's more than happy to share his freshly slaughtered prey with you... or share you with others.
Enno's Sanity -5
“Bad luck,” the Pig-Headed Demon cursed, covering his empty eye socket.
“Just because I didn't have any useless junk for that old hag, she took out one of my eyes. When I see her next time, I'll definitely... definitely... spits!”
He spat out a foul-smelling wad of phlegm and continued to curse under his breath.
And immediately, a system prompt sounded in Enno's mind.
Ding! Pig-Headed Demon Quest: Help him find a matching eyeball. Reward: 50 Skeleton Coins, +50 Surgical Skill Experience, +20 Pig-Headed Demon Goodwill, Special Reward +1
“Come in,” Enno said, his face expressionless as he sat behind the counter, gripping the flensing knife tightly.
The Pig-Headed Demon strode in, the soul lamp flickering wildly.
A wave of foul, bloody stench hit Enno, making him feel like vomiting.
The Pig-Headed Demon plopped down on the stool in front of the counter, its one remaining sharp pig eye glaring at Enno. It looked around and said,
“Where's Bloodsaw? Let him out. I need him to replace my eyeball. I'll trade him some fine game!”
Enno stayed calm and said quietly,
“My teacher's out on business. What do you need, you can tell me.”
The Pig-Headed Demon paused, then turned its head, narrowing its eyes and focusing on Enno, like he was sizing up a piece of meat.
“Oh?”
Ding! Danger Level Increased to 89%
Enno's heart was pounding, but his face remained composed.
But his decision was right.
Because if he tried to lie and told the pork demon that his teacher was in the backyard, the demon would surely sense something was off and attack him immediately.
But if you're honest, it might actually make the other party wary.
“What kind of eyeball do you need?” Enno turned around, calmly pointing to the vials of eyeballs soaking in reagents on the cabinet.
“We've got human eyes, pig eyes, ghoul eyes, bat eyes, and blood doll eyes. Take your pick. Different eyes have different prices.”
The Pig-Headed Demon's eyes flashed with malice, revealing a mouth full of fangs, and a burst of foul breath came his way.
“I think your eyeball looks pretty good.”
He stuck out his tongue and licked his cracked lips.
Enno's Sanity -10
Ding! Danger Level Increased to 91%
Enno knew that if he showed any sign of fear now, the Pig-Headed Demon would definitely attack without hesitation.
“Mine?”
Enno turned his head, calmly looking at him.
And then, right under the Pig-Headed Demon's fierce gaze, Enno slowly extended three fingers, reached into his own eye socket, and bit by bit, dug out his right eye.
Squish—Squish—
Ding! Host's Life Loss!
Ding! Host's Organ Missing!
A few seconds later, Enno held his eyeball in the palm of his hand and handed it to the demon.
Pig-Headed Demon's Sanity -20!
But he still didn't change expression.
“Two hundred skeleton coins. No returns if it doesn't match.”
The Pig-Headed Demon was stunned.
He hadn't expected that this seemingly frail human would so ruthlessly dig out his own eyeball right in front of him.
When he had his eyeball taken by the scavenger, he had screamed in agony for quite a while.
And this guy was still calm as ever.
Ding! Danger Level Decreased to 50%
