Comprehensive network wizard, magic emperor.

Chapter 7 Weird Demon
In the evening, the afterglow of the setting sun burns quietly on the sea.

It was the bustling hour at the White Snail Tavern. Workers finishing their shifts and fishermen preparing for a night trip gathered together, those tired from a day's work drinking to soothe their fatigue, while the fishermen who had slept all day drank to refresh themselves.

A group of whaler sailors crowded into the tavern, sat at the bar, ordered a glass of watered-down moonshine, asked for a plate of fried anchovies, and listened to the owner tell the town gossip.

"Old Tim is dead, Old Tim who kept the lighthouse," the boss said, wiping his tin cup carefully. "You sea fishermen, don't you know that?"

"Is there such a thing?" The sailor who just returned was obviously surprised and a little sad. "Then who is keeping watch now?"

"A new lighthouse keeper," the boss said. "He's a very young man. Although he has black hair, his eyes are brown, and his facial features are different from ours."

The young waitress picked up the tray filled with wine glasses and said quickly, "It's a foreigner. He looks like a capable man."

"Jiling, how can you, a fool like you, tell who is capable? You can't even tell the difference between mackerel and horse mackerel." The boss laughed.

"Uncle!" Ji Ling ran away with a red face.

"No one would want to stay in a lighthouse? It's cold and damp, you have to keep the light every night, there's no one to chat with, and the salary is pitifully low." The sailor disagreed.

The boss lowered his voice and said, “That foreigner was rescued from the beach by Old Tim a month ago.

"Maybe he was a foreign traveler who had been shipwrecked. To repay Old Tim, he took over his job, that's probably it.

"But if you ask me, ambitious young people won't be content to stay in a lighthouse and rot in the sea breeze."

jingle--

The doorbell rang, and the drinkers near the bar looked back. A black-haired, thin young man walked in. He was wearing a slim gray-black windbreaker. His footsteps were wrapped in the cool autumn sea breeze. His exotic face made many rude country people rub their cheeks unconsciously.

"No wonder Ji Ling is thinking about it." A textile worker joked, drawing approving laughter.

"Hush—keep your voice down."

"It doesn't matter. He's a foreigner and can't understand what we're talking about."

"Aha, that's all right then. But if you ask me, this fellow has skinny arms and a pale face. He must be a wealthy foreigner."

Lin Bo came to the bar, handed over two bills, and said softly, "Mr. Giraud, I want a glass of wine, a bowl of beans, a plate of fried fish, and a plate of whale meat."

The teasing sounds around suddenly disappeared, and Ji Ling smiled and appreciated the uncomfortable expressions of these rough guys.

"Your Knin is getting better and better."

"Old Tim was a good teacher."

"Every one of us feels very sorry about him." Giro attended the funeral and had met Lin Bo once.

Lin Bo found a corner of the tavern and sat down. The girl named Ji Ling quickly served the dishes and waited at his table for a while before leaving.

Watered-down moonshine, spicy baked beans in tomato sauce, crispy fried anchovies, smoked whale meat—that's what Old Tim kept mumbling about before he got too sick to speak.

At that time, Lin Bo was also swallowing his saliva while listening to the old man describe the taste of the food.

Old Tim wasn't too poor to eat in a tavern, but he was used to living frugally, and it wasn't until he realized he'd never have the chance to eat a good meal again that he began to yearn for it. In the end, he never got to eat that one.

Lin Bo didn't touch the glass of wine. Instead, he tasted some side dishes with the water he brought and the leftover bread.

When he put the smoked whale meat into his mouth, he suddenly paused.

The cursed power around the real name rune, which was on the verge of exhaustion, seemed to increase by an imperceptible amount.

"Could this whale meat be used as a material for spiritual medicine?" Lin Bo chewed the dry and hard whale meat. The taste was not very good, but it was acceptable as a side dish for drinking. It was chewy and salty.

The whaling industry in the Windward Islands has a long history. Especially in modern times, as the industrial potential of whale oil has been realized, market demand has increased dozens of times, and slaughterhouses and processing plants have sprung up.

Due to overfishing, the population has plummeted and the price of whale oil has been rising year by year. However, whale meat is still relatively cheap due to its huge reserves.

Lin Bo finished a plate of smoked whale meat, his cheeks sore from chewing it, confirming that the recovery of his cursed power was not an illusion.

However, this effect is almost negligible, even less than the increase from the body's own natural healing and recovery. "Fresh whale meat would probably be more effective. Besides whale meat, other parts might also have an effect."

Exploring medicinal properties is an entry-level skill in pharmaceutical manufacturing. Because the plant species and medicinal properties in different worlds are different, if players on the Internet want to become pharmacists, they must first go through the path of Shennong tasting hundreds of herbs.

Lin Bo has already decided to choose a skill for identifying medicinal properties, the "Pharmacist's Tongue Identification" worth 60 disaster coins.

It is possible to infer the effects of medicinal materials on the human body by tasting them. The disadvantage is that it is impossible to analyze the specific ingredients. The advantage is that it is highly universal, the speed of judging the medicinal properties is extremely fast, etc., and the price is also very reasonable.

After learning the art of identifying medicinal herbs, I can buy some whale products to try, and then I will know whether these things can restore spiritual strength and how effective they are.

Lin Bo poured the wine into the empty kettle and stood up to go out.

"Night watchman, are you leaving just like that?" The drinkers tried to stop him with a smile.

"Tell us about your hometown," some sailors with brightly colored tattoos on their arms and chests approached. Their tone seemed friendly, yet also carried a hint of provocative aggression.

The waiter Ji Ling said to them, "If you have time to gossip about other people, why don't you have a couple of drinks?"

Lin Bo was surrounded by sailors, and his expression was very friendly. "I have to take care of the lighthouse for you sailors. If you want to understand me, you are welcome to visit me anytime."

A sailor at the bar said in a deep voice: "Then you should go back quickly." As soon as he spoke, the others dispersed on their own initiative, convinced.

Lin Bo nodded to the sailor who rescued him and noticed the scars on his face. Such ruthless people are often very prestigious in small places and can calm the situation, just like the leader of a wolf pack.

He walked out of the pub and passed by the church on his way back to the lighthouse. Old Tim was buried in the back garden, and Lin Bo stopped by to visit him.

The Kening Empire worshipped five gods: the Holy Father, the Good Mother, the Warrior, the Craftsman, and the Elder. Citizens of different classes and professions often chose one of these gods as their lifelong deity. Choosing the wrong deity could land them in trouble. Commoners were particularly forbidden from worshipping the Holy Father, as that deity was reserved for aristocratic men.

"Hello again, young man." The church priest was patrolling the cemetery and saw foreigners pouring wine in front of Old Tim's tombstone.

Lin Bo said softly, "I'm here to visit a friend."

"Tim was a devout Christian when he was alive, and he remained so after his death. And you, do you have any faith?"

"If you're asking which god I believe in, then I haven't chosen one yet." Lin Bo put away the kettle and his eyes rested on Old Tim's tombstone.

"Would you mind allowing me a moment to introduce you to the Five Gods?"

"The sun is about to set in the ocean. I need to get back to the lighthouse."

"This is good for you. If a stranger always stays alone in the lighthouse, the sea water at night will swallow you up and turn you into a wandering ghost. You need the company of fellow believers and worship at a fixed time every week. Faith can protect you." The priest advised sincerely.

He wasn't exaggerating, but rather pointing out that Lin Bo was in a very dangerous situation. Just like in the tavern just now, Lin Bo was being tested by a group of young sailors. If they found him easy to bully, they would definitely push him further.

People who don't fit in are always the most vulnerable to prejudice, false accusations, and harm.

Lin Bo asked thoughtfully, "Master Priest, does everyone in the empire believe in the Five Gods?"

"Yes. Not only in the Empire, but also in the Fertile Continent, the faith in the Five Gods is widely spread."

"I will consider it. Which god is worthy of worship for the Night's Watch?"

"An old man who represents wisdom. He is the patron saint of scholars and researchers, and also protects all those who walk on the edge of the world."

The priest's words gave Lin Bo some inspiration. If he needed to use his magical power to gather followers, then perhaps he could use the name of the Five Gods to persuade local believers.

Playing tricks has always been the most effective means of mystics. In previous lives, countless rulers were deceived by the dream of immortality.

If ordinary scammers can use the belief in gods and Buddhas to gain power, then it will be even easier for spellcasters who truly possess extraordinary powers to manipulate people's hearts.

The old man's teachings might be a fitting endorsement of his magical powers.

This matter was not urgent, so Lin Bo kept it in mind for the time being, and then hurried back to the lighthouse before night fell.

(End of this chapter)