Chapter 04 This Strange World
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Some have said that beyond seven steps, the gun is faster; within seven steps, the fist is faster.
But Xu Yi only wanted to say, whether it's a gun or a fist, they're equally fast.
He ultimately didn't dodge the bullet, and it pierced through his left chest, but he also closed in on the Cannibal.
The gleaming boning knife grew larger in his vision, and terror filled the Cannibal's eyes. He tried to fire a second shot, but it was already too late.
The boning knife plunged into the Cannibal's chest. Xu Yi had aimed for his heart, but the man twisted his body to dodge.
But it didn't matter. Once Xu Yi got close, the outcome was sealed. He pulled out the boning knife and aimed for the man's spleen, then plunged the knife in again.
The sharp pain, coupled with organ damage, elicited a near-death scream from the Cannibal, as his hand holding the gun slowly loosened.
Xu Yi snatched the handgun and aimed it at the Cannibal's head, firing shot after shot. In just a few seconds, he emptied the magazine, and the terror on the Cannibal's face froze as he died a definitive death.
The ground was stained red with blood, and Xu Yi staggered, feeling an intense wave of dizziness.
During the desperate fight, the rapid secretion of dopamine had numbed his pain, but now that he was safe and his guard was down, the pain and weakness swept over him like a tidal wave, overwhelming him in an instant.
Before slipping into unconsciousness, he faintly heard the system's notification.
[You have killed "The Source of Fear: Cannibal Hannibal's Impersonator," and Entry Devouring is now activated!]
[You have obtained a Blank Entry: "Scholar (Common White)."]
[You have obtained a Blank Entry: "Psychology (Common White)."]
[You have obtained a Blank Entry: "Painter (Common White)."]
[You have acquired the entry synthesis path: "Hypnotism = Psychology + Scholar."]
Xu Yi fell into an endless darkness, but then he abruptly stopped. Why hadn't he returned to the Resurrection Space?
...
Xu Yi opened his eyes, and a white ceiling greeted him, with the faint smell of disinfectant lingering in the air. Doctors and nurses moved back and forth outside the corridor.
"I actually didn't die!"
Xu Yi looked at his body, wrapped in bandages, and quickly understood what had happened.
The bullet must not have hit a vital spot, or else he would be in the Resurrection Space, not the hospital.
As for why he was in the hospital, he figured the sound of gunfire must have alerted the nearby residents, who called the police, and they had brought him here.
Xu Yi was secretly relieved. If he had to do it over, he was fairly confident he could take down the Cannibal again.
But there are always uncertainties, and if something had gone wrong and the Cannibal had gotten the better of him, he really would have been out of luck.
Now the situation was good. Despite being seriously injured and hospitalized, at least he had taken care of the Cannibal and still had a Resurrection Coin, giving him more confidence when facing danger.
The door was gently knocked on, and two police officers stepped into the hospital room. Xu Yi let out a sigh of relief.
By the looks of the two officers, they weren't here to interrogate him, which was good to know given he was Asian in this so-called "free and equal" country, where the treatment isn't always that favorable.
He didn't want to be charged with "forcibly breaking into a residence and murdering the homeowner."
"Mr. Yi, we'd like to ask you a few questions. Relax, it's just a simple inquiry," said one officer amiably.
They had no choice but to be amiable. The recent Cannibal case had caused them nothing but headaches, and without Xu Yi, they would probably still be working overtime on the investigation.
Nobody likes working overtime, not even the police.
"Ask away," Xu Yi replied, willing to cooperate.
Moments later, the two officers left satisfied, and Xu Yi was also pleased. His "assistance" in solving the case for the police had earned him a reward of twenty thousand dollars.
At this time, twenty thousand dollars was no small sum; luxurious cars cost only two to three hundred thousand.
The reason the reward was so high was that one of the victims was the son of a well-known New York tycoon, which is why the police were under such great pressure.
From the officers, he learned the identity of the killer.
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Named Anthony, he was a university professor, a double doctorate in medical Psychology, and also a modestly famous painter.
Xu Yi simply couldn't understand why such a winner in life would worship Hannibal and become a Cannibal?
As for the real "Cannibal Hannibal," even if he were still alive, he would now be over 130 years old, long dead of old age.
The Cannibal's identity was confirmed so smoothly because the police had found a recently missing person in Anthony's home.
That person was hidden in a freezer in the basement and had already been gutted, with the heart and other organs properly preserved. It seemed the Cannibal realized the recent danger and decided to stock up on some "food" before going into hiding for a while.
Unfortunately, he encountered Xu Yi.
"It seems I heard the system's voice before I fell unconscious?" Thinking of this, he quickly opened the system panel.
[Owned Entries: Combat Techniques (100/100), Psychic (0/100), Scholar (0/100), Painter (0/100), Psychology (0/100).]
[Owned Synthesis Path: Scholar+Psychology=Hypnotism.]
[Owned Synthesis Path: Scholar+Painter+Psychic=Psychic Painter.]
The three newly obtained entries, "Scholar," "Painter," and "Psychology," were all acquired after defeating the Cannibal.
Only then did Xu Yi understand that besides opening treasure chests, there was another method to obtain entries: "eradicate the source of fear" to trigger Entry Devouring.
The newly acquired three entries were clearly not random.
"Scholar," "Psychology," "Painter," these were obviously Anthony's abilities.
If he were to eliminate a vampire, who was a source of fear, could he possibly obtain entries such as "Undead"? He was a bit curious.
Xu Yi soon discovered a new problem.
The two available synthesis paths both required the "Scholar" entry, so did this mean he could only choose one?
Xu Yi felt a bit regretful; if he had to choose, he would definitely pick Psychic Painter, as it was clearly some kind of super-powered entry.
But he didn't want to give up "Hypnotism" either, since, after all, hypnotism was a very useful ability in many films and television shows, and not to be misunderstood, he wasn't referring to those Japanese films and TV shows.
[After an entry is synthesized, its original Ability will not disappear. If other paths require that entry, a Blank Entry can be regenerated. After it reaches full value, it can be used for synthesis again.]
The system provided an explanation, and Xu Yi's eyes lit up.
After all, only children make choices; naturally, he wanted them all!
There was a stack of newspapers on the bedside table, provided by the hospital to entertain patients, as technology in this world was far less advanced than in later times, and there were no smartphones for entertainment.
Xu Yi picked up the newspaper and began to read carefully, as newspapers were an important way to understand this world.
"The Warrens head to Ocean Avenue for an exorcism, with a crowd of fans gathering at the scene!"
"A major fire breaks out in Silent Hill!"
"Werewolf sightings in the outskirts of London, local police have been dispatched."
"Haijin Company is recruiting Exorcists, with generous compensation."
...
The more Xu Yi read, the more startled he became, and at last, combining the memories he had inherited, he helplessly confirmed one thing.
This was a world filled with terrifying elements, but it was also very different from the one he remembered.
The Warrens were a household name and were not doubted by the public; this world's acceptance of Exorcists was very high, and famous Exorcists were on a par with celebrities.
Even the official recruitment of Exorcists, with full benefits, made Xu Yi very tempted.
Xu Yi stared at the Entry Panel, ultimately fixing his gaze on the "Psychic" entry.
Without a doubt, this world was inhabited by strange things like ghosts and Demons. If he didn't want to die in obscurity, "Psychic" abilities were a must-have.
The next primary goal was to unlock the "Psychic" entry and then figure out a way to synthesize "Psychic Painter!" Xu Yi quickly formulated a plan.