Deep in the Living

Chapter 655 Black Gate Contract
The restorative effect of the pumpkin brain fluid was exceptionally amazing. Not only did it enable Luo Di, who was unable to move at the time, to stand up immediately and complete the final kill on Xiao Xun, but the continuous flow of nutrients also spread rapidly throughout his body.

With the support of Fran and Liberty, Roddy decided to temporarily ignore Jock.

He focused on his own recovery, getting all the cells in his body moving to achieve 100% nutrient absorption.

The previously severely atrophied spine has now become vibrant again... Of course, since it is a battle that consumes the very essence of the spinal cord, the entire old spine cannot be completely repaired in a short time.

After all the nutrients in pumpkin are absorbed, about 60% of them are restored.

And there's another problem...
Meijin was truly completely drained. Already incomplete and broken, she had already reached her limit in enduring the long period of spinal surgery and accepting Roddy's original spinal cord.

Weapons are definitely not going to be used.

Roddy must make a decision...

Jock is definitely no less difficult to kill than dealer Xiao Xun.
This clown has been known for its caution since its inception.
He could always find and make good use of any loophole, any means of sneak attack, and any escape route.

The videotape incident he orchestrated,

The fact that he actively sought out adversaries like Roddy and Liberty, and actually managed to obtain the corpse in the final stage, while also escaping from a multi-person attack, is enough to demonstrate his ability.

Not to mention, he has already accepted the mist and received gifts from beyond the realm.

However, a rare opportunity has presented itself.

Jock's sudden attack was largely due to Roddy's weakened state.

However, he underestimated Fran's abilities and failed to detect the perfectly concealed Libert. Not only was he quickly countered by the two, but his weakness was also discovered.

Now is a perfect opportunity to kill.
Roddy knew very well that he couldn't be "careless." He had to be at his best and use the backup methods he hadn't used in the casino before.

They must produce what Xiao Xun calls the "Joker".

Roddy recently acquired this Joker card by chance, and has not yet used it in actual gameplay.

……

A few days ago,
When he was taken back to Whirlpool Town by Gustav.

The two worked together,

Roddy constructs the [channel] through his left arm, Gustav is responsible for the [lubrication space], and the qualified fingers serve as the [medium].

Ultimately, Roddy's consciousness traveled to the depths of a corner, specifically to the location of the corner's will.

Because they encountered a deep-seated monster guarding the area, their journey was forced to end prematurely.

Since there is still a long time left,
Since this "sneaky" way of getting deeper into the area worked, it was only natural to try it a few more times. So, Roddy changed the [medium] and replaced it with something else related to the depths of the corner.

That black gate membership card that belonged only to him.

Channel established,

Space lubrication,

Roddy appeared in the alley across from the bar with a more stable ideology, even leaving a hole in the alley wall, as if he had crawled over.

The weird thing is,
Roddy wasn't as excited as he had initially been.

Although you can talk to and even interact with classic killers from various movies, the outer realm has now reached the middle level, and these interactions, which can almost be seen as "idol worship," are not very meaningful.

After exploring the dungeons multiple times, Roddy also understood the true nature of these murderers.

They are not monsters, nor did they evolve from humans step by step.

Rather, like Kayako from "Ju-on," it belongs to "concrete literature," a very special product from a niche source.

It uses classic figures from horror literature as templates and is shaped by the primal fears of the corners.

The entire shaping process is very complicated and can only be completed by placing it deep in a corner, or even by being close to the essence of the corner.

The more a fearsome image is perceived by the human group, the more powerful it becomes when it is shaped.

They are part of the corner, an important link in the process of separating humans from monsters.

in addition,

Each character corresponds to the literature from which they originate, and each individual embodies the background.

These serial killers operating in the bar are actually storing their own cinematic worlds within themselves, gathering here as "individuals".

This time, Roddy wasn't there to meet his idol; he wanted to learn something.

but,

He arrived at the bar's entrance only to find the drop-off slot blocked, and there was no response when he knocked. It was as if the bar was closed for the day, even though the sign outside was clearly lit.

at this time,

He suddenly sensed a deadly killing intent and instinctively turned around. There, in the alleyway he had just come from, stood a figure, an entity almost shrouded in darkness. However, his attire revealed his identity.

It was the mysterious bartender.

Roddy would meet the other person every time he went to the bar, but he could never see the other person's face... or rather, he couldn't recognize the other person's face, or he would forget it the moment he saw it, so he couldn't see it clearly at all.

There is a feeling,
Although this person works for a bar, he may be connected to the essence of a bar.

The bartender is currently beckoning him over.

"This is the [hole] you constructed? How can it be so stable?"

"Yes……"

Roddy explained the relevant principles simply, especially the process by which he appropriated the extraterritorial characteristics for himself.

The bartender seemed to smile slightly.

"You have ideas and a lot of courage... If you take what belongs to someone else, you're bound to anger them, right?"

Luo Di nodded. "Yes, I was recently attacked by an extraterrestrial force and almost got into trouble. Fortunately, a senior saved me. I will be extremely careful from now on."

"The other side has begun to pay serious attention to the corner, and has even sent a pioneer over. No matter how careful you are, it's useless, since even the corner itself has been invaded."

Okay then~ Since you've established a stable channel, and given that you're a member of our bar and have performed very well in the previous times.

The bar can enter into a literary contract with you.

"Literary contract?"

"You have chosen the Black Gate, and you also possess the abilities of 'Deep Imitation' and 'Cinematic'... Now your plant is mature and has the necessary qualifications."

Considering all the above conditions,

The bar can arrange a literary contract with you.
If you encounter danger from outside the area, you can immediately establish a connection with the bar, and I will arrange for a less busy customer to come and help.

Of course, they cannot appear directly in the middle layer, but rather descend using your body as a "vessel".

By transferring their fear-related characteristics to your pituitary gland, a kind of "temporary essence transfer" is achieved.

You can acquire their traits for a certain period of time, and your own abilities will not be affected. Of course, the compatibility between you will determine the strength of the effect.

Based on my observations of you so far, you seem to be fine. Besides, everyone seems to like you quite a bit.

"Descent, essence shift?"

"Yes... what you did with the relevant props before was just imitation, but once this contract is signed, you can directly borrow their characteristics."

Of course, it has a certain degree of randomness.

The situation in the deeper corners is also not very good right now. Not everyone is at the bar all the time, so I will try my best to arrange for more suitable customers to come and help.

Remember, this can only be used against outside the domain.

After all, this method is already considered "violations of the rules," and it won't help your normal development of fear; it will feel like forcing growth.

How do I sign the contract?

The bartender pulled a contract straight from the darkness, and Roddy signed his name in the lower right corner without hesitation. He could feel his connection with the entire bar instantly deepen.

The bartender, having retrieved the contract, turned and left. "That's it, I'm going back to work."

"Excuse me, who are you, senior?"

"I'm just a working person, you won't remember my name. Let's talk about it after you get through this crisis and officially reach the depths of the back alley."

"Thank you, senior."

……

Time returns to the present.

Roddy instantly located the unnatural cloud formation above the city, thanks to his knowledge of Jock's markings and his familiarity with the fog.

The massacre instantly killed four ballooned employees, while simultaneously grabbing Jock by the neck.

however,
Jock himself felt something was wrong. He knew very well what Roddy tasted like, but the one choking him now was a different kind of smell.

Turn around and look,

A strange white rubber mask suddenly appeared on Roddy's face.

At the same time, the entire sky turned gloomy, and it seemed as if one could hear a minimalist yet effective piano melody, as if some kind of cold pursuit had already arrived.

(End of this chapter)