Lin En nodded.
Then he took out the bill, thought for a moment, and said:
"Although this really isn't the best timing to bring this up, I still need to explain it to you."
"The surgery fee is 300 Skeleton Coins. But since this was my first operation, I can give you a 20% discount. That brings it down to 240 coins. Suturing is charged separately, so the total comes to 280 coins. Would you mind signing here?"
"Aoo— AOO—!"
The pig-headed demon let out a miserable squeal, his mind nearly collapsing.
"Stitch it! Stitch it!" he trembled.
Lin En nodded, then pointed at the various threads hanging on the wall.
"We offer hemp thread, wool thread, cotton thread, iron wire, and steel wire. Each type has a different price. Which one would you like?"
A tear slid down from the corner of the pig-headed demon's eye as he muttered:
"Hemp thread…"
Lin En nodded, took down the hemp thread, and asked:
"Would you also like—"
"STITCH IT! JUST STITCH IT!!" the pig-headed demon roared.
Lin En nodded, skillfully picked up his steel needle, flicked the hemp thread, walked over, bit the thread end, and pulled.
"Please remain calm. Bear with it for a moment. I'm starting now."
[Sewing Skill EXP +1][Sewing Skill EXP +1][Sewing Skill EXP +1]
Finally—
More than ten minutes later.
Lin En took out a pair of scissors, snipped the thread, patted the bow-shaped knot, took a potion into his mouth, and sprayed it onto the pig-headed demon's abdomen.
At once, the stitched flesh began to close up little by little, healing rapidly.
[Ding! You have completed a hidden task. You received 50 Skeleton Coins, 50 Surgery EXP, Eye Diagnosis EXP +50!][Ding! Pig-Headed Demon's Fear +200][Ding! Your reputation in Wraith Alley +10]
Lin En removed his mask, unlocked the shackles on the operating table, held the blood-soaked infant, and smiled.
"Congratulations. The surgery went very smoothly. As you saw, this was a routine case of evil-spirit parasitism. However, while it was an evil spirit, it's also a healthy daughter. If you raise her properly, perhaps—"
Buzz—
In an instant, Lin En's vision blurred.
The next second, a black shadow trembled as it bolted off the operating table, clutching its stomach and sprinting toward the door at an unimaginable speed.
He would never come back!
He swore he would never come back again!
Seeing a doctor here was like being slaughtered like a pig—one visit and he'd developed lifelong psychological trauma!
...
"Boss! You forgot your daughter! You worked so hard to give birth to her—don't abandon her! This is a potion shop, not a daycare!"
Lin En shouted as he chased after him, all the way to the door.
But in the darkness outside, there was no trace of the pig-headed demon anymore.
Lin En sighed.
After some thought, he shouted into the eerie darkness:
"Boss, if your stomach hurts again, come back and I'll operate on you again! Next time I promise to use anesthesia! And hurry up and take your newborn daughter away—if my teacher comes back, there's no guarantee he won't chop her up and use her as drinking snacks!"
Instantly—
The once-noisy darkness fell into a strange, deathly silence.
Lin En turned around and returned to his potion shop.
Then he hurried to the counter, rummaged through the drawers, pulled out a small bottle of high-grade recovery potion, and poured it directly onto his right eye.
Gurgle—gurgle—
The eyeball he had forcibly dug out earlier slowly regained its vitality.
It still hurt.
But the effect was excellent.
Lin En rubbed his reddened eye socket and muttered:
"Living in this world really keeps you on edge…"
He dared to dig out his own eye not because he was cruel, but because he knew his shop contained high-level potions capable of rapidly healing injuries.
Of course, those were luxury items—he couldn't make them himself. They were part of his teacher's private stock.
Normally for personal use only. Not for sale.
[Ding! Multiple abilities are available for upgrade. Your reputation in Wraith Alley has improved. Please check the status panel.]
Lin En paused and opened the system panel.
[Name]: Lin En[Level]: 3[Race]: Human[Strength]: 4[Agility]: 5[Intelligence]: 8[Constitution]: 4[Unassigned Points]: 4
[Basic Skills][Intermediate Housework Proficiency: 909/1000][Beginner Potion Crafting: 90/100][Intermediate Surgery Skill: 203/1000][Beginner Knife Skill: 26/100][Beginner Diagnostic Skill: 55/100]
[Skeleton Coins]: 250[Reputation]: 15
[Description]:An apprentice of the Blood Saw Potion Shop with a somewhat pathological temperament. Multiple patients have experienced overwhelming malice here. He seems to be gradually inheriting his teacher's twisted style…
Lin En: "..."
What was that evaluation supposed to mean?
Wasn't that straight-up slander?
Completely lacking objectivity.
Aside from forgetting anesthesia, he was extremely responsible toward his patients. This was blatant system-level hostility!
Lin En shook his head.
But soon, he noticed that he had leveled up.
From Level 2 to Level 3—and gained four unassigned stat points.
Honestly, the interface really did feel like a cheap online game.
But he knew very well—
This wasn't a game.
This was a vicious, dark otherworld where death was permanent.
Without hesitation, Lin En allocated all four stat points into Constitution.
No reason.
To be a qualified doctor, Constitution had to be strong—especially in a chaotic world like this, where a weak body could become the final straw that killed you at any moment.
No matter what—
Survival was the world's first priority.
"Confirm."
Instantly, Lin En felt a warm current flow through his body.
He knew the stat points were taking effect.
The fatigue from the surgery was quickly washed away, replaced by a surge of inexhaustible strength.
He took off his outer coat.
Looked down at his abdomen.
In just a few minutes, his once-flat stomach now clearly showed the outline of several abdominal muscles.
Lin En felt the joy of having a healthy body.
"Waa— waa—"
From behind the counter came the crying of the ghost infant.
Lin En immediately walked over and picked up the blood-soaked baby.
And with just one glance, he realized something was wrong.
The infant was underdeveloped, only about the size of four adult fists.
A long umbilical cord was wrapped around its waist.
Its entire body was covered in crimson blood veins.
Its face—aside from a mouth like a black hole—was completely smooth, as if smeared with flesh paste, with no features at all.
[Evil Spirit Blood Infant (Incomplete)][Gender]: Female[Level]: 2
Lin En: "???"
Just moments ago, the blood infant had been Level 1.
In such a short time, it had already reached Level 2?
Did that mean it was rapidly completing its formation?
At that moment, a system notification echoed in his mind.
[Ding! Optional Hidden Quest Triggered: Blood Infant Deformation][Because the blood infant was born prematurely, the ghostly energy within it is rapidly distorting its appearance. The more horrifying its appearance becomes, the greater the malice it will unleash upon revival!]