Rhodes Island does not exist.

She maintained her smiling expression as she answered the doctor.

"Really? That means I..."

“But,” Specter interrupted the doctor’s hopeful anticipation with a turning point.

"However, there is one thing you must pay attention to."

"what?"

"Although I told you that seawater can relieve mental stress, neutralize the toxins of Originium, and heal the damage I caused you, it doesn't mean that seawater is harmless. On the contrary, it is a highly toxic substance." Ghost Shark's tone was as calm as the shallow sea.

"If you use seawater without restraint, or use it incorrectly, it will become your disaster."

"Unrestrained use means... drinking too much in a short period of time?" the doctor asked.

“You can understand it that way,” Ghost Shark nodded.

"Then what does 'misuse' mean? How do you explain that?" the doctor asked again.

“Well… I can demonstrate it for you right here.” Ghost Shark’s lips curled into a wicked smile.

She picked up the half-empty bottle of seawater in her hand, then pulled open the front of her nun's habit and slowly brought the bottle opening close to her skin, as if she were about to let the seawater flow into her body through the opening in her clothes.

Under normal circumstances, the doctor probably wouldn't have paid too much attention to this slightly provocative scene.

However, this object was so unusual that he could not make any positive guesses about what was about to happen, so he immediately spoke up to stop Ghost Shark's behavior.

"Stop! Stop! Don't continue! I don't want to know anymore, okay?!" Cold sweat beaded on the doctor's forehead as he frantically waved his left hand, which now only had four fingers left.

"As you wish." The ghost shark immediately restored its clothes to their original appearance, stuffed the seawater back in, and placed it in its hand.

“However,” she said, her gaze returning to the doctor’s face after she withdrew her movement, “you can no longer use this bottle because the seawater touched my skin. So later… I will replace it with a new one for you.”

What is the principle?

Why can't I use the bottle after the bottle opening has touched her body?

Although the doctor wasn't particularly interested in the ghost shark's body, this obviously serious remark piqued his curiosity.

This might only mean that she doesn't want her lips to have indirect contact with her body.

Thinking of this, the doctor recalled the sudden change in her appearance when he talked to her about the topic of "cost" a few minutes earlier.

Looking at it this way, it's probably wise to avoid physical contact with her.

"Squeaky-"

Just as the doctor was pondering what kind of deep darkness was hidden beneath Specter's clothes, a strange noise suddenly came from behind him.

What's behind him?

It's a television.

The doctor immediately turned around and focused his gaze on the screen, which had been displaying static almost continuously.

An unexpected image appeared on the screen.

It's even news.

Today, a meat processing plant in Kazimir was exposed for a scandal. The whistleblower claims that the plant has been using Feathered Beast meat to counterfeit Shelled Beast meat, and even has a cooperative relationship with the Ursus Infected Patrol, which is highly likely to involve using the corpses of Ursus Infected to counterfeit meat.

The meat processing plant manager claimed that the meat of infected individuals is not necessarily inedible; as long as one avoids consuming crystallized body parts, most people will not contract ornithopathy. There are some misconceptions among the public regarding those infected.

[Our reporters are continuing to follow this story. If consuming the non-infected parts of an infected person does not indeed cause infection, then the meat processing plant may well win this year's Casimir Invention Award. Let's wait and see.]

"Om."

The television was turned off.

“You don’t need to pay too much attention to what’s on TV.” Specter Shark said with his usual smile, watching the Doctor turn around in disbelief.

"They don't belong in your life, so you just need to live your own life."

-

Thank you segment.

Thanks for the blade and cc94 for the monthly pass, thank you.

Chapter 24, Part 24: Tips on Raising Cerberus

The doctor went out again.

Before heading out, he made a list of things to do and got four bottles of seawater from Ghost Shark.

The list is roughly like this.

1. Go back to the tenth floor and retrieve the pickaxe.

2. Go check the sixth-floor shop that Skadi mentioned to see if there are any supplies.

3. Find Skadi.

Gone.

That's his plan for now.

The first is the short-term goal, the second is the medium-term goal, and the third is the long-term goal.

Step by step.

So the doctor went out of the fourth floor, pushed open the fire door in the corridor that he had pushed open once before, and stood at the entrance of the stairwell.

He took a deep breath, unarmed.

The last time I entered this passage, I was almost swallowed up by the strange, unknown creature in the stairwell because I was completely unprepared.

Not this time.

He decided to lure the strange creature out first, and then calmly climb upwards.

With this thought in mind, he went into the stairwell and stood at the top of the stairs outside the fourth-floor door, waiting for the strange discovery.

"Boom——"

The last time he encountered a strange attack, he did not choose to retreat but continued to advance upwards.

However, it has been proven that appropriate avoidance is still necessary, as the saying goes, "avoid the enemy's sharp edge."

So when that familiar tremor traveled from the soles of his feet to his scalp, he immediately retreated back into the fourth-floor main entrance and closed the fire door.

Who knows what would happen if the door were left open?

He dared not risk even a single finger to try again.

"boom--"

The sound was like a train entering a tunnel, or wildebeest galloping through a canyon, creating sonic waves that also vibrated the two doors behind the doctor.

I've experienced this feeling myself, on the eighth floor.

Unfortunately, even though this was the second time, he still didn't dare to look directly at the strange appearance.

One day he'll have to see for himself what this strange thing residing in the Rhode Island stairwell really is.

As for now, let's get down to business first.

A minute later, after confirming that there was no further movement behind the door, the doctor pushed open the fire door.

"Hold."

The stairwell in front of us was already covered with a large amount of viscous substance, like a fungal carpet.

Without a doubt, these are the tracks left by that strange creature.

"Is this thing a damn snail? It's crawling and pooping at the same time."

After testing the sticky substance with the sole of his shoe and confirming that it was not corrosive, the doctor dared to step on it.

Slippery.

Aside from that, it's not too bad, just be careful not to fall when going up the stairs.

However, considering that there are handrails in the stairwell, it's... okay?

Just as the doctor was thinking this, his gaze fell on the equally dirty escalator.

Okay, let's say he didn't think that way.

In short, he should be safe for now.

The doctor slowly climbed upwards, reaching the fifth floor and then the sixth floor.

The rumbling, trembling sound never returned.

Therefore, it seems that it also needs rest and cannot operate continuously.

Thus, the doctor arrived at the eighth floor smoothly.

"call."

Pushing open that familiar door, the doctor stepped into the vast space comprised of pristine white hospital beds.

"It's so clean."

He uttered a sigh.

The chaotic scenes I once faced have now returned to a harmless state—even though this layer was originally harmless.

With this thought in mind, the doctor did not choose to run to the stairwell at the other end of the room, but instead walked to the nearest hospital bed and gently lifted the white sheet covering it.

"Soon-"

The enormous, slug-shaped monster immediately burst out of the bed, its dark red slime swaying as it emerged, fluttering gracefully in the air like a venomous snake disturbed from its slumber.

But the doctor no longer felt fear towards these creatures. Despite their terrifying and ugly appearance, in the doctor's eyes now they were just small animals that needed care.

"Come on, be good."

The doctor extended his left hand, which was missing a finger, and gently stroked the slug's strange back.

As he touched it, the slug-like creature swayed gently as if enjoying itself immensely.

"Actually, I've been thinking about it."

The doctor stroked the strange object before him and muttered to himself, "If you were already so close to me when we last met, then did you actually establish such a close relationship during my previous visits?"

His speculation wasn't entirely without merit, after all, he had lost his memories of his past adventures in this area.

If someone suddenly appears in front of you after you lose your memory and acts like you have a very good relationship, then this person is either a close friend or a rival.

However, such simple creatures probably don't understand deception and hatred; they only have instinct.

So what is instinct?

It's very simple, just like the Kroos.

Eat when you're hungry, sleep when you're tired, take advantage of people who are nice to you, and bite back when people are mean to you.

These slug-like oddities are probably similar to Ceobe in essence. The reason they are so close to the Doctor now is probably because they had some pleasant memories with him during their previous expeditions.

"Cuckoo-"

"Soon-"

As soon as the first slug monster was petted by the doctor, the surrounding slug monsters poked their heads out like wolves smelling blood, and anxiously twisted their slimy, reddish bodies, seemingly expressing their desire to be petted by the doctor as well.

"Ah this."

Looking at the slugs that sprang up one after another like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, the doctor couldn't help but chuckle.

"Please understand, I can't possibly touch every single one of you, that would be too much." He addressed the expectant slug monsters in front of him, treating them as potential conversationalists.

The slugs seemed to understand, and they all lowered their heads, looking disappointed.

"But don't worry," the doctor changed the subject, clasping his hands together. "You've all been stuck here, unable to move around, you must be starving, right? I'll go upstairs and get you some food in a bit, okay?"

Upon hearing this, the slugs around them became excited as if they had been injected with adrenaline, happily shaking their slimy bodies to express their gratitude to the doctor and their anticipation of his words.

It really is Keopatra.

So, where can we find these strange foods?

The answer is already obvious.

Tenth floor, room number two, the collector's room.

-