Chapter 32: Fine, It’s Your House Now

Chapter 32: Chapter 32: Fine, It’s Your House Now

In that instant, an unusual warmth spread from the Green Jade Pen Holder. The Wolf Hair tip of the rune pen automatically absorbed the gasoline until it was perfectly saturated, neither dripping nor appearing dry.

"That saves me some trouble."

Preparations were complete. It was time for rune painting!

Seraphina Sinclair held her breath. The moment she gently touched pen to paper, the tip suddenly began to move on its own.

She was so startled she almost let go, but a pulling force guided her wrist, making it glide as smoothly as flowing water.

The rune paper immediately shimmered with the distinct blue-purple reflection of gasoline, tracing a winding, flame-shaped pattern on the Yellow Paper.

FZZT.

Just as the third stroke was laid down, the rune paper suddenly emitted a wisp of green smoke, the entire sheet instantly curling up, charred black.

Seraphina Sinclair quickly flung away the burning rune paper and stomped out the flames on the floor with her foot.

[Rune Making Failed: Insufficient pen power control (Tip for beginners: Try to empty your mind and let the rune pen guide your hand)]

She stared at the notification for two seconds, stunned, before a realization struck her.

When she picked up the pen again, she simply closed her eyes and completely relaxed the muscles in her wrist.

This time, the trajectory drawn by the tip was indeed much smoother. But when the rune was three-quarters complete, the rune paper, untouched by any breeze, suddenly tore itself in half with a sharp RIP.

[Rune Making Failed: Interrupted brushstroke (Survivor’s breathing is too erratic)]

"It’s nagging me about my breathing now?"

Seraphina Sinclair rubbed her sore wrist. ’Honestly, this is more exhausting than shaking a fluorescent light!’

She counted the remaining sheets of rune paper, gritted her teeth, and began her third attempt.

This time, she deliberately maintained an even breathing rhythm. As the pen tip moved, she imagined herself infusing sunshine into the pattern.

As she finished the final stroke, the entire sheet of rune paper suddenly floated into the air. The flowing gasoline rune on its surface solidified into a dark red mark, and faint waves of heat began to radiate from the paper.

[Fire Drawing Rune successfully created!]

’Success!’

Seraphina Sinclair held the precious piece of rune paper and admired it for a good while before tucking it into her pocket with satisfaction. It had to be torn to be activated, so there was no need to worry about its safety in her pocket.

She gripped the pen holder and drew several more. After wasting eight sheets of rune paper, Seraphina Sinclair successfully produced five Fire Drawing Runes!

Painting just these few runes had taken Seraphina Sinclair nearly an hour.

It was already past four in the afternoon; she had to move one more time before nightfall.

Seraphina Sinclair flexed her slightly numb wrist and infused the remaining 100 points of sunshine into the room card.

After the familiar sound, the mobile cabin began its third 100-sunshine-distance move of the day!

Seraphina Sinclair didn’t just wait around. Instead, she opened the newly appeared icon to study it for a bit, and in doing so, she discovered something good.

The page actually had its own shop!

Unfortunately, it only sold one item: Blank Talisman Paper.

The price was also cheap—you could buy it for a single unit of materials, and it wasn’t even picky about which kind.

Seraphina Sinclair made a mental note of it and began to look forward to the Supply Box from this move.

As the black fog surged in, Seraphina Sinclair once again heard the Sunflower’s childlike voice: "Monster... monster..."

Seraphina Sinclair immediately tensed, holding her military knife horizontally in front of her chest.

The Sunflower had never said anything like that before, which made her feel a vague sense of unease.

Amid the roiling black fog, a massive silhouette gradually appeared.

It was a monster easily two meters tall, its head so high it poked out above the black fog.

It was humanoid in shape but possessed six arms, each ending in a sharp Bone Spike. Its torso was covered in writhing fleshy tumors, and each tumor was split by a fissure that revealed a dense maw of sharp teeth.

The sight was truly terrifying, but Seraphina Sinclair could only manage a wry smile. Her lips pulled back as she stared intently at the monster and silently commanded, ’Insight!’

’Seriously...’

’Why do I have to run into everything?!’

[Six-Armed Corruptor (E+ Level)]

[Description: An advanced monster formed from the fusion of multiple Rotting Corpses, with extra limbs sprouting from its joints. Its highly decomposed body secretes a corrosive mucus, and wounds inflicted by its Bone Spikes will rapidly fester. Its movements are Slow, but its Strength is astonishing. It is recommended to keep your distance and fight evasively.]

[Weakness: The structure connecting its neck is fragile. Severing it directly is the optimal solution! (Tip for beginners: What? You’re a beginner? You encountered this in your home? Just wait for death.)]

Seraphina Sinclair’s pupils contracted slightly.

She could run away from the last D-level monster, but what was she supposed to do about this E+ monster that had come to her home?

’You can have this mobile cabin, alright?!’

’It’s your house now!’

’I’m leaving right now!’

Seraphina Sinclair really couldn’t understand it! Was this a monster that was supposed to appear during the beginner’s protection period? Was this a monster she was supposed to encounter at this stage?!

The curses running through Seraphina Sinclair’s mind wouldn’t pass any censor. She glanced around and suddenly realized an even worse problem: the mobile cabin was tiny, leaving no room to maneuver.

’So what now?’

’The rune paper!’

’The rune paper I just made!’

’This stuff can start a fire, can’t it? Burning one monster shouldn’t be a problem, right?’

Seraphina Sinclair stared intently at the monster, clutching the rune paper in her hand, waiting for the right moment to tear it.

The Six-Armed Corruptor swiveled its featureless head, seemingly locking onto her position by scent, and lunged again.

Thinking fast, Seraphina Sinclair grabbed a bottle of mineral water from the bed and hurled it at the monster’s head.

THWACK! The water bottle hit its mark. The cap flew off, and water splashed everywhere.

The monster was clearly stunned for a moment. Its six arms flailed about wildly, as if it had temporarily lost its bearings.

Seraphina Sinclair seized the fleeting opportunity, moved closer, and tore the rune paper!

The instant the rune paper was torn, Seraphina Sinclair felt a scorching heat at her fingertips. The Fire Drawing Rune transformed into a dancing, orange-red flame in her hand, yet it didn’t burn her skin.

The flame, as if alive, coiled around her arm, forming a ring of fire at her wrist.

Just as Seraphina Sinclair was wondering what to do, the ring of fire, seemingly obeying her thoughts, suddenly shot toward the monster!

BOOM!

The Six-Armed Corruptor let out a piercing shriek. It completely ignored the burns on its body as all six of its Bone Spike-covered arms clawed at Seraphina Sinclair simultaneously.

’This is going to kill me!’

Seraphina Sinclair was pushed almost beyond her physical limits. In that instant, she threw herself into a roll to the side. Unfortunately, her Speed wasn’t quite enough, and a horrifying gash was carved into her back.

’It’s okay, it’s okay.’

’I have a Healing Potion.’

Seraphina Sinclair comforted herself internally. She bit her lip so hard she didn’t make a sound. When she looked up, she saw the monster was actually licking the blood from its Bone Spikes!

’That... that’s just too much!’

Seraphina Sinclair tore all her remaining Fire Drawing Runes at once. The heat that erupted from the several sheets of rune paper almost scorched her.

But Seraphina Sinclair couldn’t be bothered with that now. She flung her hand toward the monster, and several rings of fire shot out, coiling around it like chains!

The Six-Armed Corruptor was instantly engulfed in flames. It let out a bloodcurdling roar as its rotting flesh sizzled in the intense heat, releasing a nauseating, scorched stench.

Before, Seraphina Sinclair had been hesitant, afraid the flames would ignite the cabin. But now, she suddenly had a moment of clarity:

’I’m about to die anyway!’

’Who has time to worry about that?!’