He clicked the equipped Hidden Blade.
[Without a word, you step forward. A blade ejects from your gauntlet and gently slices across his throatâŠ]
[The Knowledge-Seeking Direct Vision Association Grand Scholar widens his eyes in disbelief. He canât believe you would violate an oath made under the witness of Omniscient True Knowledge.]
[He tries to chant a spell, but can only clutch his throat as he collapses to the ground, powerlessâŠ]
[You have defeated the Knowledge-Seeking Direct Vision Association Grand Scholar. Experience points slightly increased!]
[You obtained: Fading Trace Spirit Essence of Insight Ă1]
[You obtained: Eye of the Death-Telling Sea Serpent (Epic Item)]
[You look at the crumpled Shell lying before youâŠ]
[The Knowledge-Seeking Direct Vision Association Grand Scholar: a diligent, aging Grand Scholar, once one of the top combatants of the Direct Vision Association. His strength was formidable. Strangely, this once lofty figure now lies completely nude, eyes wide with terror, as though he suffered some indescribable humiliation before death. Cause of death: a clean and swift throat cut. Compatibility: 109% (+45%)]
Lin Xun let out a long sigh.
He didnât obtain the Presidentâs True Name item, it left him with a lingering sense of regret.
Such a powerful Shell, and he couldnât manifest it in the real world⊠it was like ordering a girlfriend online only for the package to explode on arrival.
Sure, you could still âuseâ it, but it just didnât feel right.
Currently, Lin Xunâs Shell Slots were full, and since he already got the Grand Scholarâs equipment and eyeball, there was no need to sacrifice another Shell to possess this one.
[You leave the Battle Angel â Valkyrie here to study, then wave goodbye to Grand Scholar Rona, indicating that once you are fully prepared, youâll return to go to the Multivision Presidentâs location with her.]
Lin Xun went down to the first floor of the building and used the Resting Page to teleport back to Bennettâs Transplant Clinic.
[An ordinary wandering soul awakens in the Transplant ClinicâŠ]
He opened his inventory to check the Eye of the Death-Telling Sea Serpent.
[Eye of the Death-Telling Sea Serpent (Epic Item) â A large eyeball with a vertical pupil, originating from the mysterious sea-dwelling serpent known as the Death-Teller. A coastal village nursery rhyme warns: âHunters who chase whales in deep waters, beware the serpent that sometimes surfaces, do not look into its eyesâŠâ]
[This item must be used in an empty eye socket. Upon use, it will guarantee the acquisition of the special skill Mystic Eye of Instant Death.]
Mystic Eye of Instant Death? Just the name alone sounds badass, Lin Xun thought to himself.
[You possess the Shell of the Knowledge-Seeking President of the Direct Vision Association!]
[Everything before your eyes is pitch black. Your crippled legs leave you crawling forward in the dark, groping the ground with your handsâŠ]
ââŠâ
Lin Xun, speechless, clicked on the Resting Page.
[You crawl forward and touch the Resting Page. The residual divine power within stirs your heart, and a strong resonance forms between your ordinary soul and the page.]
[You choose to rest and recover!]
[Your Shellâs injuries and fatigue are fully restoredâŠ]
[Your legs regenerate, allowing you to stand upright again, but your vision remains pitch black. Youâre forced to grope around in the dark, frequently bumping into bottles and jars on the clinicâs second floorâŠ]
Lin Xun was completely speechless at how cursed this game was.
[You possess the Shell of the Corrupted Earth Giant!]
[A head wearing a bird-beak mask seems to hear the crashing of jars from upstairs and cautiously peeks up from the stairwell.]
[Upon seeing itâs you, Bennett breathes a sigh of relief. He curiously asks how he hadnât seen you enter the clinic, he was just downstairs reading the newspaper.]
[You ignore Bennettâs confusion and angrily demand to know why he gave you a defective carriage. Because of that bucket of bolts, you nearly died for nothing.]
[Hearing this, Bennett suddenly slaps his forehead, then smiles sheepishly and apologizes profusely, saying it was a moment of negligence, he hadnât meant to slight a True Godâs Envoy.]
[As he speaks, he hurriedly pulls out a thin brass plate from his coat and hands it to you with both handsâŠ]
[You have obtained: Beacon of the Refined Copper Carriage (Special Item)]
[Bennett explains that the previous carriage was just for ferrying customers, while this one is his private ride, blazingly fast, the kind that could practically sprout wings and flyâŠ]
[You ignore Bennettâs bragging and request an eyeball transplantâŠ]
Lin Xun had all three eyeballs in his inventory transplanted into the newly acquired President Shell.
After some thought, he also had Bennett remove the Subterranean Oculomass Demonâs eyeball from the Yellow-Robed Bishop and implant it into the President.
The Eye of the Death-Telling Sea Serpent couldnât fit on the head, so like the now-deceased Grand Scholar, he had it implanted into the chest.
After this round of surgery, the President of the Direct Vision Association had transformed into something akin to the Multivision President.
âLooks donât matter, what matters is powerâŠâ
Lin Xun comforted himself.
[You have successfully transplanted the Eyeball of the Subterranean Oculomass Demon!]
[You have successfully transplanted the Eye of the Death-Telling Sea Serpent!]
[You have successfully transplanted the Eyeball of the Abyss Pleasure Demon!]
[You have successfully transplanted the Eyeball of the Ancient Crimson Dragon King!]
[You slowly open your eyesâŠ]
[Everything you see is now far clearer, floating dust particles in the air are no longer able to escape your vision.]
[Due to the special properties of the new eyeballs, you faintly sense that youâve gained several unique special abilities.]
[You have obtained the Shell Skill: Knowledge Plunder]
[Knowledge Plunder (Epic+) â When activated, it greatly increases the amount of Knowledge acquired.]
[You have obtained the special eyeball skill: Infusion of Illusory Knowledge (Epic)]
[You have obtained the special eyeball skill: Mystic Eye of Instant Death (Epic)]
[You have obtained the special eyeball skill: Pleasure-Hazed Sight (Epic+)]
[You have obtained the special eyeball skill: Scorching Gaze of Flowing Fire (Epic+)]
[Bennett removes his gloves and looks at you with satisfaction, as if admiring a flawless work of art.]
With the addition of Knowledge Plunder, the Presidentâs Shell now had a total of eight Shell Skills!
From now on, if anyone dared say this wasnât a grand mage but a useless one, Lin Xun would personally set them straight.
Of course, the three newly acquired skills would still need to be reviewed before being reassigned as needed.
If one of them turned out to be suited for melee combat, heâd have to give the eyeball to the Earth Giant.
He opened the panel, eager to check the new skills.
But before he could, the game text abruptly displayed:
[Having completed the surgery, your mind feels clear, your vision sharp, and your thoughts lucid.]
[At this moment, you suddenly remember, the matter of the Veiled Aberration Overlord. Bennettâs Transplant Clinic contains a great many eyeballs, and may very well become the behemothâs next target.]
[Do you wish to warn Bennett?]
Lin Xun gave it a momentâs thought and clicked âYes.â
Ever since Bennett found out he was a True Godâs Envoy, heâd been firmly on his side, a wise man who knew when to back the right horse.
If Bennett were to be killed by the behemoth, heâd be stuck having the Valkyrie do his transplant surgeries from now on.
[Just as you are about to speak, a deep, distant rumbling echoes from outside the clinic, growing louder and closer⊠The sound is unmistakable, itâs the footsteps of the behemoth!]