He took the script of an exorcism legend, but became the number one anti-fraud expert.

This diary, suspended in mid-air, is clearly only visible to the person who owns it.

Because that's the cheat code.

To fulfill my exorcism dream once again...

The glaring words made Benjamin's eyelids twitch instinctively.

Although he is different from his predecessor, judging from his previous experiences, the world of exorcists is full of traps and deceit.

Driven by curiosity,

He lightly tapped his index finger, and with a thought, the journal turned to the first page.

[Foreword - The Self-Cultivation of a Legendary Exorcist]

Exorcists, mortal enemies of evil, dancers in the darkness. Every choice Benjamin makes becomes a source of 'virtue' or nourishment for 'torture.' Every sacrifice he makes accumulates into the foundation for future battles against evil. When the accumulation is complete, he will receive a corresponding 'test of perseverance.' When the pressure is sufficient, all his previous efforts will finally be rewarded.

[Virtue: Fountain Accumulation Progress: 0%]

[Virtue/Talent: ? ? ?]

[Torment: Nutrient accumulation progress: 0%]

[Torture Talent: ???]

[Note: If the selected accumulation path is not followed subsequently, the accumulation progress will be deducted, and no daily settlement reward will be given.]

Just as Benjamin was wondering what was going on, the log page turned automatically again.

A new script begins to be written:

Having lived a life of pain and regret, Benjamin, reborn, understands the wickedness of the world...

He would choose...

[Virtue: Exposing scammers' schemes and reclaiming your rightful property, +2%]

[Torment: Giving up wealth to avoid disaster, one's own strength is insufficient to fight against overwhelming odds, a gentleman's revenge is never too late, +2%]

The journal didn't force Benjamin to make an immediate decision, but his thinking had become clearer.

Eyes fixed intently on the words in the diary.

In other words, this diary is not a prophecy, but rather a record of his own life?

Virtue and torment are both weapons that have existed in the original world, used to combat evil.

When stress reaches a critical point, a person's mental state collapses, and an exorcist will resolutely detect either one.

Virtue is the hymn of exorcists, and its excellent qualities such as fearlessness, steadfastness, focus, courage, and inspiration become the power for exorcists to fight against darkness.

Not only can they turn the tide of battle, but they can also unleash astonishing potential in a short period of time.

Torture, while the opposite of virtue, can enhance an exorcist's individual combat capabilities, though it comes at a negative physical and psychological cost afterward.

Benjamin wiped the dust off his face and opened his eyes again, a list of attributes appearing in his mind.

Name: Benjamin Hodgson (LV0)

Exorcist Class: Undefined

Physical condition: 3

Dodge: 3

Defense: 2

Speed: 3

Accuracy: 0

Critical strike chance: 3%

Damage: 3

weak,

very weak.

Benjamin sighed, but without hesitation, he gritted his teeth.

Benjamin chose to reclaim his inheritance at the first crossroads in his life after his rebirth—a virtue.

[Virtue: Fountain Accumulation Progress: 2%]

[Gain the virtue talent: Caution. Once activated, this skill will allow you to identify all scams around you.]

Benjamin's brow relaxed and the corners of his mouth turned up.

For him, swallowing his anger was not his motto.

The talent "Caution" will undoubtedly be the most effective weapon against these scammers.

Suppressing his restless heart, Benjamin's gaze fell upon the old copy of "The Exorcism Manual" he had bought years ago, lying on the corner of the table...

[The "Caution" talent activated: The Exorcism Manual was compiled by Hamlet's Publishers, one of the oldest publishing houses in the central city-state, founded in 1668 as a Hamlet literary organization. This Exorcism Manual is an official authentic copy.]

Benjamin breathed a sigh of relief, and secretly rejoiced at the usefulness of this talent.

This 50-page handbook briefly categorizes the worldview of exorcists, their professions and ranks, and the types of evil spirits.

After a quick glance, Benjamin summarized the key points.

LV0 refers to an exorcist who has not yet found their niche and has no fixed income.

Once you reach LV1 Apprentice, you can join the Exorcist Guild, the Academy, or even the Royal Family to seek a public office. With an identity, you can participate in fixed four-person team activities and take on bounty missions.

Going further back, for example, LV2 Vanguard, LV3 Elite, LV4 Champion, LV5 Glory, LV6 Legend... As your strength increases and you achieve merits, you can earn more income along with your fame.

Even a level 3 elite exorcist can inspire fear in ordinary people.

Take Professor Locke, for example.

Although there were still some unclear parts, he discovered that the original owner hadn't even properly read the manual in its entirety.

They haven't seriously considered career planning, let alone undergone targeted training.

Now I understand why his parents strongly opposed his impulsive actions.

No one knows a child better than their parents in their previous life...

Benjamin simply stopped believing in his original memories.

He needs to first understand his position, environment, relationships with the people around him, and what benefits his identity as an exorcist can bring him.

Unfold the map on the table, and the entire Hamlet Federation comes into view.

This is Windhowl Town, a small coastal town located in the southeast corner of Hamlet's Commonwealth.

Windhowl is a small, fourth-tier town teeming with refugees and tenants, bordered by Blackswamp to the north and Raven Village to the west.

Here, there are two cave entrances right next to each other!

The crypts, the underground world, are the domain of evil spirits, and these entrances are found throughout Hamlet's city-state.

Some are well-known, while others remain hidden from the world.

Benjamin drew two circles on the black swamp and the beach, marking these two entrances where the lowest-ranking F-level evil spirits converged.

The threat of evil spirits here is not significant, but their numbers have increased in the past year, and there have been frequent cases of missing persons and deaths.

Evil spirits roamed freely, so tenant farmers dared not cultivate the land, and fishermen dared not catch fish.

The mayor was very anxious, so he brought in the monastery and the guard's "recruitment" notice.

This also became a perfect opportunity for those scammers to make money.

Benjamin snapped out of his reverie; the general situation was now clear.

He changed into clean clothes, determined not to give up until he got the money, and went out with a dagger in his pocket.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

As you walk through the quiet Mink Street, the crowds suddenly become bustling.

Looking up, I saw the brand-new cross-shaped building; it was a newly built church.

At the church entrance, several alluring nuns were handing out flyers.

Despite the near-freezing temperatures, they were only wrapped in thin black robes with a 'thoughtful' openwork slit at the chest.

The nuns each had their own unique figure; some had buttocks wider than their shoulders, some had eyes that overshadowed their breasts, and some were petite and adorable.

Having been deceived once, Benjamin's eyes no longer lingered on those deceptive glances.

Benjamin was certain this was business; the monastery was the clubhouse, and the nuns were the hostesses.

No, they weren't even outsourced; they were prostitutes recruited from Lywood.

I heard there's war going on there, and women and children are homeless.

Just then, a polite priest walked towards them from the far end of the street.

He clasped the Bible to his chest, looking gloomy, as if he were dissatisfied with the nuns at the door.

Just when Benjamin thought he was going to stop this absurd behavior, the reality was quite surprising.

The priest then pulled a green triangular flask from his pocket and began to call out:

"Holy water! Holy water just transported from the Federal City! My family members have colds, feel unwell, and have headaches—all symptoms of being possessed. Apply a little, and the evil spirits will be driven away!"

[Caution] Talent Activated: Holy water has no effect on treating colds or headaches. Experts advise patients to seek medical attention promptly if their symptoms worsen.

Benjamin rolled his eyes, his eyelids drooping. Sure enough, the upper beam is crooked and the lower beam is crooked too.

I reckon that from top to bottom, in this monastery, and even in that distant city-state, all those long-robed presidents and popes are cut from the same cloth.

Judging from this, let alone reasoning with them, they have no recourse even if they want to sue.

"A den of thieves! Robbers! You're all liars!"

A ragged middle-aged man pushed his way through the crowd, grabbing the priest by the collar in a fit of rage:

"You, the holy water you sold me, killed my wife! You are murderers!"

The priest remained indifferent, showing no sign of panic: "Jeff, I understand your grief over the loss of your wife, but she had been seriously ill for many years. The holy water was only meant to exorcise evil spirits and alleviate her suffering. How can you blame the monastery?"

"I don't care! You said my wife was tormented by evil spirits and that's why she got sick, but now she's dead, so tell me what to do!"

The crowd was abuzz with discussion, and some began to have doubts, but others still sided with the priest.

"Jeff, we know about your wife's situation. Father Robin is a public official; why would he sell you fake holy water?"

"Hey Jeff, you're not trying to extort money from the monastery, are you? The situation in the suburbs is tense right now, don't make things worse!"

"That's right, it's holy water, not medicine."

When everyone was pointing fingers at him, Father Robin raised his hand to calm them down:

"Listen up, everyone. Recently, evil spirits have been rampant, and many people have bought holy water to sprinkle in front of their doors for protection. Naturally, some people will doubt the authenticity of the holy water. So, to verify the authenticity of the holy water, we happen to have a maggot caught from a cave here. Please take a look."

As soon as he finished speaking, the small cage containing maggots was brought out as a matter of course.

When they saw maggots the size of a medium-sized dog wriggling inside, many people stepped back, covering their mouths and noses with disgust.

Father Robin picked up a bottle of holy water, uncorked it, and poured it out through the cage.

Squeak!

When a large amount of holy water was sprinkled on the maggots, they immediately let out a piercing scream.

The maggots' skin cracked, bubbled, and hissed.

To everyone's surprise, Father Robin poured the rest of the holy water on top.

The maggots struggled violently, crashing against the cage with a clanging sound, until they finally died from exhaustion.

"Is this...is this real?"

Jeff, his eyelids heavy, looked at everything before him. He approached the cage to examine the dead maggots, the doubt in his eyes long gone.

"Jeff, you see? The holy water is real. I'm so sorry for the suffering you've endured..."

"But my wife..."

The priest then took a bottle of holy water out of his pocket and handed it to Jeff: "Jeff, you look very tired. Drink this; it will ease your pain."

Jeff trembled as he accepted the holy water offered by the priest, looked around at the crowd, and drank it all in one gulp amidst their expectant gazes.

Seemingly exhausted, Jeff didn't hesitate for long, and a gurgling sound came from his throat.

"Gurgle..."

When Jeff opened his eyes again, he let out a satisfied burp.

This time, his previously cloudy eyes became clear, and he looked as if he had just woken up.

"I...I think I'm much better."

The priest smiled slightly and patted Jeff on the shoulder: "My child, this is a gift from God to you."

Jeff's hands trembled, seemingly apologizing for his earlier rashness. He lowered his head and said, "I'm sorry, Father, I shouldn't have doubted you."

Benjamin sneered, before he could even process what was happening in his mind,

A golden light appeared precisely in front of those eyes that were narrowing as they looked at the priest and Jeff.

The log reappeared before my eyes in the form of a phantom.

[The "Caution" talent is activated: A scam has been detected in the surroundings; please proceed with caution.]

He had already seen through Jeff's exaggerated acting, as well as the few onlookers in the crowd who had consistently agreed with Father Robin.

Clearly, their goal is to sell the holy water later, creating a supply shortage so they can raise the price again.

The poor acting was not hard to spot, but the surrounding crowd seemed to have already believed it to be true.

Benjamin realizes that the monastery, which prides itself on fairness, integrity, and justice, is actually infested with a group of parasites...

[If he were alone, he would choose...]

[Virtue: Become the embodiment of justice, confront evil organizations head-on with unwavering integrity, +4%]

[Torture: An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth; use cunning tricks to make the fraudster pay many times over, +2%]

Benjamin fell into deep thought.

Damn it, logically speaking, we should choose virtue to fight against evil.

However, judging from the options, the danger factor of virtue is too high.

Putting aside the brainwashed masses around him, if he were to cause trouble now, the priest's henchmen hiding in the crowd would probably drag him out as well.

Benjamin's attention was drawn to the words "repay many times over" as he looked at the fluctuating text in the journal.

By the way, my only purpose in coming here is to recover the money I was swindled out of. As for fighting evil or any grand cause, those are none of my concern.

Only someone with a brain fart would try to fight head-on when they are outmatched!

In the struggle between justice and evil, Benjamin chose cowardice—torture.

Damn it.....

[Torment, progress in accumulating nutrients: 2%]

[Gaining the talent "Actor": A vivid and expressive performance lays the foundation for moving the audience.]

[Virtue and talent temporarily locked]

Benjamin understood that virtue and torment are like life's paths, and that talent will seamlessly switch according to one's choices.

at the same time,

When Jeff shed tears of remorse, shouts suddenly erupted from the previously skeptical crowd:

"I want to buy three bottles!"

"I want five bottles!"

"One case! Is there another case?"

Father Robin wore a smug expression...

Just as he raised his hands in a pretense to calm the crowd's fervent emotions, a discordant voice suddenly emerged from within the crowd.

"I want twenty boxes!"

twenty......

The air seemed to freeze, and the surrounding crowd cast strange glances in Benjamin's direction.

They had doubts, ridicule, and disdain.

Some people muttered their dissatisfaction with him, blaming Benjamin for being selfish, after all, there were exactly twenty boxes of holy water in front of him.

Father Robin maintained his smile; perhaps to him, Benjamin was nothing more than a fool completely captivated by his acting skills.

Just as he was about to pretend to persuade Benjamin to calm down, a nun next to the priest quickly stepped forward and whispered something in his ear.

Father Robin's expression went from relaxed to stiff in just a few seconds.

Benjamin recognized the nun as a close friend of Nia's.

But Benjamin wasn't worried at all.

There are quite a few people in Windhowl Town, and he lives in a remote corner of the town. Besides his parents and uncle, he only has Lillian by his side.

Even Sister Nia only knew some of her predecessor's dark history regarding her own identity.

So, this nun probably only saw herself as one of Nia's victims.

Father Robin smiled and politely replied, "Sir, I'm sorry, holy water is a gift. If it were all given to you, what would happen to the others?"

"Father, you're right, but I've already paid for twenty boxes. I'm here to collect the goods."

money?

What money?

Father Robin looked stunned, completely bewildered and unable to process what was happening.

Benjamin explained, "Sister Niya has already accepted the money I paid for the holy water. This is a gift of holy water I prepared for those poor children at the orphanage. Your monastery wouldn't go back on its word, would it?"

[Actor Skill Activated: Your acting skills convinced Father Robin]

Niya... Holy Water...

At this moment, Father Robin looked puzzled, as if he had something to say but couldn't find the words.

The others did the same; they whispered among themselves and began to discuss the matter.

Benjamin ignored the doubts of those around him, relying on his acting skills, he was not afraid of anyone's skepticism.

After all, even the priest and those few rabble's clumsy acting skills were enough to fool this group of ignorant people.

The monastery's usual tactic has always been to discard its tools after they've served their purpose.

They swindled the townspeople out of their money and then had the nun disappear. Most people would be helpless in this situation.

But in Benjamin's eyes, this was precisely the best way to retaliate.

To prove they didn't pay, they need to get Niya, who has already absconded, to show up.

If Nia appears, he can confront her and demand what she deserves.

The monastery certainly can't hand over the people.

This is Windhowl Town in 1777; there are no written agreements or proof of payment here. It's all based on verbal promises.

Anyway, since things have escalated, it's just a matter of whether you admit it or not. Benjamin believed he was definitely not the only one who had been fooled by him.

And donating holy water to welfare homes... that's a very good reason.

As a member of the clergy, Father Robin had no reason to refuse.

Benjamin knew perfectly well that he was asking thugs masquerading as clergy for money, and that they would likely incite these ignorant masses to attack him.

Therefore, directly asking for money is definitely a poor strategy.

The only solution is to put them on a fire and roast them.

Even if we don't get the money, we'll make them lose a chunk of flesh. We'd rather give the holy water to the orphanage than let them get away with their petty crimes.

However, Benjamin didn't believe these con artists would willingly become suckers.