Chapter 1: The Resurrection Key and The Tarot Club!,: Death Upon Arrival 1-5

Chapter 1: The Resurrection Key

The walls were mottled with gray, and the black smoke from the factories connected to the sky. Steam propelled the gears to turn, and an invisible force drove a young man to the rooftop.

Without a moment's hesitation, the man leaped down.

But mid-fall, he suddenly screamed, struggling violently, clearly regretting his decision.

With a thud!

The young man landed in a muddy alley, blood splattering on the spot, signs of life fading away, and everything about him vanished from the scene.

…

Ah!

Accompanied by severe pain all over,William tried to wake from his dream, but he couldn't feel his heartbeat, breathing was difficult, and his body was stiff.

Each breath he took was accompanied by intense pain, as if his body had suffered a heavy blow.

Why is my chest in so much pain?

Am I going to die suddenly?

Is this the retribution for staying up late?

No! I must wake up quickly.

The pain became more pronounced, yet there was no sign of him waking up.

Am I going to die in my sleep? He began to panic.

Wave after wave of pain allowed Williams to slowly accumulate a phantom strength, and finally, with a burst of effort, he arched his back and opened his eyes, completely freeing himself from the half-asleep state.

His vision gradually cleared, and in his sight, he saw an old wooden desk with a natural wood finish. An old European-style lamp on the desk emitted a faint light, with several draft papers scattered around, a key in the center, and an uncapped steel pen lying next to it, surrounded by seven or eight books.

On the wall to the right of the desk were embedded gray-white pipes and a wall lamp with a classic Western flavor. The inner layer was made of transparent glass, and the outside was enclosed with black metal in a grid pattern.

William woke up in front of the desk as usual. He had just experienced three seconds of free fall in his dream, with only one second of regret.

But… why did the feeling of being shattered to pieces feel so real?

He felt an inexplicable panic, slowly stood up, turned his body, and began to carefully examine his surroundings.

It was a small room. Across from him was a wooden bunk bed, and between him and the left door was a cabinet with doors open at the top and three drawers below.

At the edge of the cabinet, gray-white pipes were also embedded in the wall, but they connected to a strange mechanical device, with gears and bearings exposed in a few places.

Near the right corner of the desk were items resembling a coal stove, as well as kitchen utensils like soup pots and iron pots.

Then there was a full-length mirror with two cracks next to him. The wooden base had a simple and rustic pattern, and the iron frame was slightly corroded.

With a glance,William vaguely saw himself in the mirror: White hair that was out of the ordinary, blue pupils, a gray-white shirt, a slender figure, delicate features, and pale skin that looked slightly sickly.

"This… isn't me."

William gasped in shock, a multitude of helpless and chaotic guesses flooding his mind.

I… couldn't have traveled to another world, could I? He often fantasized about it, but when it actually happened, he found it hard to accept.

Then, memories about "himself" surged forth:

Ethan, about to turn 20, from Tinggen City in Ahuova County, Rune Kingdom of the Northern Continent, grew up in an orphanage, had no friends, loved mysticism, couldn't afford university after high school graduation, and now supported himself on a meager income.

"Rune Kingdom… Tinggen City…"William Noticed these two familiar terms.

It wasn't until the concept of time and religious beliefs of the Northern Continent, along with the seven orthodox deities, surfaced in his mind:Eternal Blazing Sun, Lord of the Storm, God of Knowledge and Wisdom, Evernight Goddess, Earth mother, God of War, God of Steam and Machinery.

He realized he had traveled to the world of "Lord of the Mysteries"!

And he was in Tinggen City! Did this mean he had a chance to meet Klein Moretti and Captain Dunn Smith…

William gathered his thoughts and began to ponder why he had appeared here.

According to the original Ethan's memories, he had committed suicide by jumping off a building.William could still feel that despair, sorrow, loneliness, and helplessness…

He subconsciously looked at the narrow, dark room, and a sudden sadness enveloped him.

William shook his head to stay alert and not be controlled by these negative emotions.

He had traveled here in the midst of Ethan's fall, having experienced that death firsthand. That feeling was truly… not something he wanted to relive.

So why had he resurrected in the bedroom? "Is it a power brought by traveling through worlds?"Williamgradually adapted to the original owner's memories, his hand involuntarily reaching for his chest, searching for something, but finding nothing.

"The key!"

He looked at the silver key in the center of the desk, wrapped with a thin thread. It was a key Ethan had carried since childhood, always regarded as a talisman, left here before "he" committed suicide.

William held the silver key in his palm, one of the notches visibly damaged, a crack spreading across the key.

"Did I survive because of this key?"

He was doubtful but didn't have the courage to experiment, as the key only had seven notches, one of which was already broken.

Did this mean he had only six lives left?

William carefully hung the key around his neck again, then touched the key with one hand, a habitual action that gave him comfort.

Then, he began to doubt his own suicide. Even if Ethan had been lonely since childhood and life was difficult now, the strength he showed surprised William.

What he wondered now was… what was the last straw that broke the camel's back? Ethan was reclusive, thought differently from ordinary people, and often saw things that ordinary people couldn't see, like… ghosts.

William suddenly looked around in fear, then opened the sealed curtains to let the sunlight in.

In the orphanage, the person who often interacted with Ethan was the janitor, Almis, a slightly mad old man who had cared for him occasionally since childhood. Ethan had come to regard him as family without realizing it.

His interest in mysticism was also built on Almis. After Almis passed away, Ethan almost fell into despair, but he hadn't reached the point of suicide.

Afterward, he searched for books related to mysticism in the black market and taught himself the ancient Fusack language, claimed to be the source of the Northern Continent's various languages, and the Hermes script, often found in ancient tombs and related to sacrifices and prayers.

Hermes script!

William suddenly remembered something, frantically searching through the draft papers and notebooks on the desk, looking for something left by Almis.

After searching, he took out an old piece of parchment from a notebook, with eerie yet beautiful lines left by pitch-black ink.

It was a formula for a potion of Sequence 9, with an unknown name.

"Main ingredients: 10 milliliters of hallucinogenic snake venom, 2 seeds of the chaos fruit."

"Auxiliary materials: 50 milliliters of mercury flower juice, 100 milliliters of pure water."

William stared at the unknown potion formula in front of him, lost in thought. Had Ethan already taken this potion?

The answer: Yes.

He recalled Ethan's frequent visits to the black market, where he had gathered the materials needed for the formula over a long period. The extraordinary materials of Sequence 9 were still affordable for ordinary people; the only issue was the channel.

And not long ago, he had taken the potion, the strong inspiration it brought constantly affecting his emotions, whispers echoing in his ears, eventually becoming the motive for Ethan's suicide.

"Sigh…"William fully adapted to Ethan's memories and couldn't help but sigh.

"So… let me help you live on. From now on, I am Ethan."

—

Ethan memorized the potion formula and then burned it to ashes, knowing that such a Sequence 9 potion formula could bring fatal trouble upon himself.

He then looked down at the clock on the table, the hour hand pointing at 3. It was 3 PM, and he recalled the time he had jumped from the building.

It was last night or the night before, meaning his resurrection had lasted one to two days.

"It's a miracle I survived."

Ethan held the silver key hanging on his chest and subconsciously prayed silently in his heart.

"Praise the Goddess."

He was about to pick up his hat and leave his seat when the key on his chest emitted a dazzling deep red glow, enveloping him instantly.

…

Above a grey-white fog, Ethan regained his vision, looking around in panic and confusion. He saw two figures opposite him, their heads blurry and silhouettes hazy, making similar movements.

At that moment, he felt the key in his hand emit a white light; it had also entered the grey fog!

Through the misty fog, Ethan could vaguely make out the general features of the two people in front of him. The person opposite was a tall girl with long golden hair.

Turning his head, he looked at the man on the other side, who had deep blue hair and a medium build, slightly muscular.

Then, they all noticed a "mysterious person" standing not far away, shrouded in grey-white fog.

Ethan swallowed hard. Although he couldn't see the man clearly, he was sure it was Klein Moretti!

His own transmigration time was almost the same as Klein's! In that case, the golden-haired girl must be Audrey Hall, and the blue-haired man must be Alger Wilson! Audrey and Alger were first stunned, then fell silent, and then spoke almost simultaneously.

"Sir, where is this?"

"What do you intend to do?"

Ethan also came back to his senses, casually put on a black hat, and said symbolically, "Greetings, sir."

He chuckled at the figure in front of him, knowing that Klein must also be utterly confused, full of questions like "Who am I? Where am I? What should I do?" After a few seconds of silence above the grey fog, the "mysterious person" chuckled lightly, his tone calm and polite:

"An experiment."

An experiment? Ethan sensed the oddity of the situation, realizing he might be included in Klein's experiment, and if nothing went wrong, he would become one of the founder members of the "Tarot Club."

Audrey took a breath, showing a polite smile, and asked somewhat nervously: "Sir, has the experiment ended? Can we go back now?"

The mysterious person looked at the others in the fog, including the golden-haired girl and the blue-haired man, and a slender young man wearing a black hat, who seemed unremarkable.

At this moment, Klein still couldn't see clearly through the fog, so Ethan didn't have to worry about his identity being exposed, although his white hair was somewhat distinctive.

"Thank goodness for the hat's cover, or I wouldn't know how to face Klein later," he thought with a sigh.

After understanding the basic characteristics of the three, the "mysterious person" nodded imperceptibly, looked at the golden-haired girl, and said softly with a smile:

"Of course, if you formally request it, I can let you return now." Audrey, relieved, calmed down a bit, and then eagerly asked: "This has been a wonderful experience… I've always looked forward to something like this… I mean, sir, how can I become an Beyonder?"

The "mysterious person" stroked his chin, pretending to ponder.

Ethan couldn't help but laugh again, attracting everyone's curious gaze.

Suddenly, the grey fog churned, and towering stone pillars appeared around them, covered by a broad dome above, the entire structure magnificent and splendid.

Directly under the dome, there was a long bronze table with ten high-backed chairs on each side, plus two at the ends, making a total of 22 chairs.

On the back of the chairs, deep red flowed, stars sparkled, outlining some strange constellations.

Audrey and Alger sat opposite each other, close to the top position, while Ethan sat next to Alger.

The girl looked left and right, murmuring in a low voice:

"How magical…"

Despite being a noble lady, she seemed like someone who hadn't seen much of the world, and Ethan laughed again, drawing puzzled looks from everyone.

At that moment, he suddenly realized that his current reaction… might be related to the unknown Sequence 9 potion he had drunk. Alger looked around and after a few seconds of silence, he said to Audrey: "You're from Ruin, right? If you want to become Beyonder, join the church. The Church of the Evernight Goddess, the Church of the Storm Lord, the Church of Steam and Machinery, all three major deities' churches are good choices."

"Although most people never touch the Beyonder in their lifetime, I can tell you that Beyonderstill exist in many places, just in fewer numbers compared to the early Black Iron Age or before."

Ethan understood Alger's words; he had learned some historical knowledge while studying mysticism.

"The Black Iron Age" refers to the current era, the Fifth Epoch, and it is now June of the year 1349 in the Black Iron Era, with Ethan and Klein arriving almost simultaneously.

Audrey listened quietly and then exhaled softly, "Sir, I know all this, even about 'Nightwatchers,' 'The Mandated Punishers,' 'Hearts of Mechanics,' but I don't want to be bound by the church."

Alger chuckled softly and continued, "To become Beyonder, one naturally has to pay a price. If you don't want to join the church, then you can only turn to the royal family, the nobility…"

"Or seek out those secret evil organizations? Believe me, that's not a sensible choice."

Ethan pondered carefully; joining the church was indeed a safer and more secure way.

Audrey subconsciously puffed her cheeks and then asked, "Isn't there any other way?"

Alger fell silent, and after a few seconds, he turned his head to look at the silent "mysterious gentleman" and the young man wearing a hat, then said thoughtfully:

"The remaining method is… to rely on underground channels to collect materials and become Beyonder in private. In fact, I have two Sequence 9 potion formulas in my hands."

Ethan sat on the side, watching their conversation, feeling both a sense of revisiting and learning.

But he couldn't waste this "trading platform"; Ethan planned to use this "meeting" to find out what sequence the potion he had drunk was.

Then he smiled slightly and said with feigned profundity, "Actually… I also have a Sequence 9 potion formula."

–

"Really! What are the formulas?"

Audrey was clearly aware of what the Sequence 9 potion formulas represented, as she learned about three different ones at such a "gathering"! Alger then explained to Audrey the origin of the potion names, which were formed through continuous translation from the "Blasphemy Slate," a "core symbol" of a potion.

Then he presented the two potions he possessed, the first being "Sailor."

"Sailor" grants you exceptional balance, allowing you to walk freely on a ship engulfed by a storm as if on land, and also provides extraordinary strength, as well as illusory scales hidden beneath the skin, making you as slippery as a fish, agile in the water like a sea creature, able to dive for at least ten minutes with ease.

The second Sequence 9 formula is called "Spectator," which endows you with outstanding mental acuity and keen observational skills. Like a bystander, you scrutinize people in mundane society, glimpsing their true thoughts through their expressions, behaviors, verbal tics, and actions.

Afterward, Alger emphasized, "You must remember, whether it's a lavish banquet or a bustling street, a spectator is always just a spectator." Pretense? I understand that.

Ethan wanted to understand his own sequence even more, as without it, he couldn't perform, and the only outcome would be losing control. His "self" committing suicide by jumping off a building might be a precursor to losing control.

Audrey listened with shining eyes, taking a long time before saying, "Why? Well, that's a question for later. I… I think I've fallen for this feeling. So, sir, what is your potion formula?"

It was Ethan's turn to speak. He cleared his throat, trying to disguise his voice: "Actually… I don't know the name or abilities of this potion's sequence. I stumbled upon the formula by chance, and now I'm eager to know its sequence and abilities."

"A formula obtained by chance? How can you be sure of its authenticity?" Alger wondered.

"Uh… because I've tested this potion myself and have taken it personally. At least I appear very normal right now."

Ethan felt an inexplicable sensation of testing poison on himself.

Everyone was astonished upon hearing this, taking an unknown potion—something only a madman would do, and yet he succeeded.

A thought emerged unanimously in everyone's minds: What a monster.

"I'd still prefer 'Spectator.' How can I obtain the formula for 'Spectator'? What can I exchange with you for it?" Audrey continued to inquire.

Subsequently, Audrey and Alger engaged in a detailed discussion about the trade, and Ethan found it inappropriate to interject.

…

Once the two confirmed the delivery address and transaction process, Ethan finally spoke up: "I also have a request for you to help me find out the sequence corresponding to this potion."

An unknown Sequence 9 potion? Alger was intrigued and asked:

"After taking the potion… did you notice any strange changes in your body?"

"Well… I can feel a significant enhancement in my perception, and… I can see some hidden things, constantly hear murmurs by my ear, always have some inexplicable thoughts, and often feel like talking to myself."

"Significant inspiration… able to peer into hidden things… talking to oneself." Alger summarized, then tentatively asked.

"If you can reveal the required extraordinary materials, I believe the information can be more accurate."

Ethan of course, knew the importance of a potion formula, but revealing just one extraordinary material wouldn't be enough to concoct a complete, stable, and safe potion, so this request was acceptable.

"The juice of the mercury flower should narrow it down quite a bit, right?"

"I'll keep an eye out." Alger nodded slightly.

Then Audrey turned to the "mysterious gentleman" and said, "Sir, please be the witness to our transaction.

At that moment, Audrey realized she had been neglecting the "mysterious gentleman" all along, which was quite impolite. She hurriedly asked again:

"Sir, how should we address you?"

Alger nodded slightly and solemnly asked:

"Sir, how should we address you?"

The mysterious person leaned back, withdrew his right hand, crossed his fingers under his chin, and smiled at the three, saying:

"You may call me… The Fool."

The brief answer quickly dissipated in the grand temple and the pervasive mist, but in Audrey and Alger's hearts, that voice echoed for a long time, stirring ripples one after another.

And Ethan felt an inexplicable sense of being overly dramatic. After a few seconds of silence, Audrey stood up, lifted her skirt slightly, bent her knees, and curtsied to "The Fool": "Respected Mr. Fool, please allow me the audacity to ask, can you be the witness to our transaction?"

"A small matter."

"It's our honor, Mr. Fool," Alger responded.

"Then, Mr. Fool, would you mind more attempts like the one just now?"

Alger listened intently and was also moved, quickly agreeing: "Mr. Fool, don't you find these gatherings interesting? Although your power is beyond our imagination, there are always areas in the world that you do not understand or are not skilled in."

"The lady opposite obviously comes from nobility, and the gentleman beside her is both peculiar and mysterious. I too have my own experiences, insights, channels, and resources. Perhaps at some point in the future, we could help you with trivial matters that are inconvenient for you to handle yourself."

Why am I peculiar and mysterious? Is it because there are no adjectives to describe me?

"I am someone who believes in equivalent exchange."

"I won't let you help unconditionally."

"Every Monday, at three in the afternoon, try to be alone. After I make a few more attempts and figure out some things, perhaps you can take leave in advance, so you don't have to worry about being in an inappropriate situation." Mr. Fool's voice echoed in the hall, which was tantamount to accepting Alger and Audrey's proposal.

Audrey, who had just turned seventeen and had always been well-protected, with a strong girlish nature, brightened up upon hearing Mr. Fool's response. Without waiting for Alger to speak, she said excitedly. "Shouldn't we also give ourselves titles? After all, we can't communicate using our real names."

"Good idea." Mr. Fool nodded slightly.

Audrey immediately put her mind to work, pondering as she spoke: "You are Mr. Fool, from the Tarot cards. As this is a regular, long-term, secret 'gathering,' the titles should be consistent, so I'll pick from the Tarot cards too."

Her tone gradually became cheerful, and she excitedly said, "I've decided, my title is, Justice!"

This is one of the twenty-two major arcana cards.

"What about you two gentlemen?" Audrey looked at the two "companions" opposite her with a smile.

Alger frowned slightly, then relaxed and said: "The Hanged Man."

Another major arcana card.

It was Ethan's turn, a difficult decision indeed, perhaps… indecisiveness.

"Respected Mr. Fool, I… have a small request, could you shuffle the cards for me?"

With Klein's current abilities, manifesting a deck of Tarot cards in the gray fog and shuffling them was still possible.

"No problem," Mr. Fool said easily.

A deck of Tarot cards suddenly appeared on the long table, then began to shuffle rapidly and randomly, with the last card stopping in front of Ethan.

At the center of its face was a clock, with a sphinx symbolizing an angel above and a devil below, surrounded by goddesses, swans, serpents, and others representing the various fortunes in fate, signifying the ups and downs of everyone's destiny, a fair cycle.

Another major arcana card.

"The Wheel of Fortune."

–

"Alright, then we are the founding members of the Tarot Club!" Audrey exclaimed with joy, then glanced timidly at Mr. Fool, shrouded in grey-white fog.

"No problem, Mr. Fool?"

"Of course, you can decide on such small matters."

Alger and Audrey confirmed the transaction details once more, then discussed the story of the twenty-two tarot cards.

"It is said that Emperor Roselle had seen theBlasphemy Slate, and the deck of cards is hidden within the secrets of the twenty-two divine pathways."

"The twenty-two divine pathways…" Audrey's tone was filled with longing.

At that moment, the grey fog suddenly shook, and Alger knew the gathering was coming to an end.

"That's enough for today's meeting," Mr. Fool said gravely.

"We follow your will," the three chorused.

—-

A deep crimson light enveloped Ethan again, the fog shattered, and he returned to his room.

On the back of his hand, white stars criss crossed to form the shape of a key.

"The Wheel of Fortune…" Ethan savored the name, feeling it suited him well.

"In any case, I am now one of the elders of the Tarot Club!" His heart surged with excitement, leading him to whisper to himself.

Ethan looked around; his room was a simple single, not very well-appointed, but the advantage was the low rent—36 copper pence a week, which is 3 soli.

In his estimation, that was about over a hundred dollars. After tidying himself up, he walked to the bunk bed, lifted the upper mattress, and reached into an inconspicuous hole at the bottom, searching for the hidden compartment.

When his right hand retracted, it held a roll of banknotes, about ten, their color dark green fading to white.

This was all of Ethan's savings, even including his living expenses for the week, totaling ten soli.

In the currency system of the Kingdom of Loen, the soli is the second tier, derived from ancient silver coins, with one soli equal to twelve copper pence.

At the top of the currency hierarchy is the golden pound, also a paper currency, but backed by gold and directly linked, with one golden pound equal to twenty soli.

To compare with the renminbi, 1 golden pound is about 700 to 800 yuan.

"I'm broke," Ethan sighed. After purchasing extraordinary materials, he was completely drained.

He recalled one of the reasons he wanted to become an extraordinary person—to make money. After all, no extraordinary person would starve to death.

"It's time to find a proper job," Ethan muttered to himself, beginning his planning.

"A proper job with a decent income would be to join the church," he seemed to converse with himself. "Maybe I could even work with Klein!"

"And the church should be able to deduce my potion sequence." Ethan clenched his fist slightly, a bit excited.

He was ready to cling to the church's leg, no, to "The Fool's" leg.

"Danger! There's danger!"

Ethan suddenly cried out in horror. With inspiration and a sense of danger far surpassing others of his sequence, he immediately pushed open the door and ran onto the street, lowering his hat brim to blend into the crowd.

Even as an extraordinary person, one wouldn't dare to act rashly on the street; there might be official extraordinary people from the church patrolling nearby.

Ethan's subconscious reaction made him suddenly speculate about his sequence.

The trigger for his inspiration came from a man in a black coat behind him, whose inspiration was also extremely strong, wearing a black hat and sunglasses, and his stride was repetitive and stiff, full of a sense of power, like… a machine.

The man carried a long leather case in one hand, unclear what was inside, but Ethan knew it was dangerous! "Am I being followed?"

Ethan looked around, sensing whether there were any extraordinary people nearby.

"Isn't anyone patrolling?" He quickly walked towards Narcissus Street and gradually approached Red Moon Street. The Church of Saint Selena on Red Moon Street, the headquarters of the Church of the Night Goddess in Tingen City, is a sacred place that all local devout believers yearn for.

Together with the Church of the Steam and Machinery God "Saint Arithmetic Church" in the suburbs and the Church of the Storm "River and Sea Church" in the northern district of Tingen, they support the religious world of Tingen City and its affiliated towns and villages.

Therefore, extraordinary people absolutely dare not…

"Bang!"

A gunshot rang out, and Ethan reacted almost instantly, but his physical fitness didn't support him in dodging bullets.

"Bolt-action rifle!" He recognized the source of the sound; clearly, this gun had greater power, enough to be used as a sniper rifle.

"I've been sniped!" Although he couldn't dodge the bullet, Ethan's body still shifted slightly, and a burst of blood exploded from his shoulder.

The pain came from his shoulder. The man actually stood on a high platform, took out the rifle on the street, and sniped with an extremely professional posture, with high precision and almost no recoil! Ethan, enduring the pain, ran forward. The potion of sequence 9 did not significantly improve his physique; its function was more inclined towards inspiration.

Seeing that he didn't hit the target, the man's expression didn't change much, obviously, this was within his calculations.

The target had taken the potion and become an extraordinary person, affecting the assassination mission.

The surrounding patrolmen were startled by the gunshot, and the crowd scattered in terror.

The man in the coat methodically put the rifle back into the leather case, then slung it on his back, pulled out a folding knife from his sleeve, and charged towards Ethan.

In this situation, a knife was more useful than a firearm. The man's speed was swift, flashing through the crowd, calculating the time it would take for the patrolmen to arrive at the scene and for him to catch up with the target.

But… an unexpected event occurred.

A young police officer with black hair and green eyes suddenly walked out of a nearby alley, right beside Ethan.

"The gunshot just now…" The young officer's gaze lingered on Ethan, surprise flashing in his eyes.

Leonard Mitchell!

Ethan's eyes widened as he looked at the black-haired, green-eyed policeman beside him, his police uniform disheveled, revealing a white shirt, with an air of… a wandering poet.

"Do you need help, sir?"

Was there even a need to ask? Ethan's face darkened.

The assassin, seeing the sudden change, decided to retreat immediately. Leonard unbuttoned his collar again and charged at the man in black.

"The police will be here soon, you wait here!"

Ethan breathed a sigh of relief, then smiled slightly. He had just felt that there was an extraordinary person here, and it turned out to be Leonard.

He should now be sequence 8 "Midnight Poet"; whether he could catch the assassin was uncertain, but perhaps he could find out the origin of his potion formula.

Ethan roughly guessed the assassin's purpose—it was the potion formula on him, and Almis was the one who leaked it.

"It seems I've been targeted by some organization." For his own safety, joining the church was now the last option, and moreover… he didn't have to worry about losing his freedom.

Ethan's lips curled slightly, and he thought to himself: "Once I finish studying in the church, I can also use a death to rid myself of my current identity."

His smile abruptly stopped, a tremendous sense of crisis shaking his heart, this time a warning from death.

"Today… is a lucky day."

An unknown voice echoed in his ear, and Ethan didn't have time to turn around.

"Bang!"

The revolver turned, and a demon-hunting bullet pierced the back of his head.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Three more shots followed, blowing Ethan's head apart.

But what happened next left the person behind him stunned; everything about Ethan at the scene disappeared.

–

In the crimson moonlight, a man emerged from the alley, constantly moving his head.

The feeling of being shot in the head… was truly unpleasant.

Ethan looked at the silver key in his hand, a crack appeared again on its surface, leaving only five intact notches.

"It seems this is indeed my respawn point, now with only 5 lives left."

Previously, when being chased by an assassin, the intense sense of crisis made Ethan think of the key at his chest, which might be his lifesaver.

Then, during the escape, he tore off the key and threw it into the nearby alley, not expecting… that he had bet correctly.

"Just after crossing over, I died in vain once." Ethan sighed, then remembered another assassin who suddenly appeared behind him.

That person was stronger and completely blocked his intuition, eventually shattering his head from behind.

Ethan looked up at the crimson sky, holding the key and silently praying.

"May the goddess bless me."

"Gurgle…" His stomach made an embarrassing noise.

"I wonder what time it is now." He pulled out a crude pocket watch from his pocket, the time on it still stuck at the moment of his death, not matching the present.

Ethan walked on the pitch-black streets, relying on the faint glow of the gas street lamps to fumble his way home.

Such street lamps only appeared in the central area of Tinggen City, while the surrounding slums could only rely on the crimson moonlight to dispel the darkness.

Ethan carefully passed through an alley and came to an old low-rent building, its iron railings covered with signs of decay, and faint light coming from the windows.

Such light wouldn't last long, as the gas lamps required coins to operate. Those living in low-rent housing would rather stay in the dark than waste too much money on gas, with most people opting for candles and kerosene lamps.

Initially, the landlord thought installing gas lamps would attract more tenants, but the results were disappointing.

"Days without computers and mobile phones are really tough." Whispering to himself, Ethan reached the third floor, looked at the wooden door in the corner, his own room, and then approached slowly.

He felt something was off, but the danger level wasn't high, "Has someone been here?"

Ethan gently opened the door, and the pitch-black room, set against the crimson moonlight, took on a hint of blood.

"This is almost like a scene from a horror movie." He whispered to himself for courage.

He could see that his desk had been tampered with, and there was a pile of ashes in the trash can.

"Did they come for the potion formula?"

Finding no other anomalies, Ethan looked at the more accurate clock on the desk, which showed it was Friday, and then adjusted his pocket watch to match the time.

His time of death was roughly Wednesday afternoon, and now it was Friday night at 10 PM, more than two days later.

"The respawn time has gotten longer." Ethan noticed the clue, deducing that the next death and respawn would take even longer.

"Only five lives left, I must be more careful from now on." He muttered to himself, then subconsciously held the key at his chest, already thinking about seeking protection from the church.

"If all else fails… I could offer this Sequence 9 potion formula to the Church of the Night Goddess. Having another Sequence 9 potion, the church would surely be willing to accept me." Ethan thought silently.

"Tomorrow is Saturday, two days away from Monday's second Tarot meeting. Right! The weekend is coming, and I need to pay next week's rent!"

Talking to himself, he quickly felt for his wallet and found all his money was still there.

"Good thing death doesn't cause you to drop items." Ethan nodded in relief.

He skillfully took out the 3 Sule needed for next week's rent, placed it in another compartment, then looked at the remaining 7 Sule, closed the wallet, and put it in the inner pocket of his chest.

The hunger struck again, and Ethan went to the cupboard, taking out the remaining rye bread.

"Ah, do I have to live on bread for breakfast, lunch, and dinner… No! I want meat!"

Ethan rummaged through his belongings, remembering he had a bit of beef left. He had set a rule for himself to eat meat only once a week, and now two or three days had passed, it must have gone bad.

It was almost July, the height of summer, and without refrigeration, the beef couldn't possibly last that long.

Ethan found a piece of spoiled beef, the stench gradually spreading, and then with regret, he threw it into the trash can. He didn't want to risk getting sick from trying it, and such rotten meat had no appeal anyway.

As a single dog drifting in the big city, although he mainly ate out, he had honed basic cooking skills, even though he mostly ate takeout.

Turning around, he suddenly remembered there were some potatoes at home, "I'll just cook some potatoes, better than gnawing on bread all the time."

Because gas was too expensive, Ethan lit the stove, added a few pieces of dry wood, and set a pot to boil water.

He took out two of the few potatoes, then went to the communal washroom to clean their skins thoroughly, cut them into slices, and put them directly into the pot to boil with the water.

The water in the communal washroom was free, but not sanitary, though it could be used to wash some things. The important thing was not to waste, otherwise, he would have to endure the verbal bombardment of the middle-aged landlady, as she paid for the communal water.

After a while, he took out the seasoning box from the cupboard, opened the lid, and sprinkled a little bit of yellowed, coarse salt into the water.

Waiting patiently for a few more minutes, Ethan picked up the pot, poured the potato soup into a bowl, and alternated between bites of bread and sips of soup, as eating rye bread alone was too dry.

Then he used a fork to pick out the potato slices and ate them contentedly.

Ethan's happiness was simple at that moment, being full was enough.

"Huff…" He blew on a spoonful of hot potato soup, then gulped it down, finishing off the bread and potatoes.

Full and satisfied, sleepiness soon overcame him.

After a simple wash, Ethan bid himself goodnight and entered dreamland.

…

"How does it feel… like this is a dream?" Ethan stood puzzled inside the room, remembering he should have been asleep.

Sometimes people can clearly realize they are dreaming, and he was feeling that now, and could even move freely within it.

He tentatively walked around the room, then began to pick up a pen, preparing to write something.

Extraordinary materials… His writing stopped here, as Ethan immediately ceased his action, feeling something was amiss. The key on his chest emitted a faint light, pulling him out of the illusory state.

He exhaled slowly and closed his eyes, then suddenly opened them.

Before him was the pitch-black ceiling and the faintly visible crimson moonlight.

Ethan got up and approached the source of his intuition, pushed open the door, and at first, found nothing, the corridor was as quiet as ever.

Suddenly, he saw a figure standing in front of the window at the end of the hallway.

The figure was dressed in a black coat, wearing a black hat, half-merged into the darkness, bathed in the cool crimson moonlight.

The shadow slowly turned around, its eyes deep, mixing gray and indifference.

Dunn Smith!

 (End of Chapter)