Chapter 7: Slaughter in the Rain

Li Nanke slowly retreated along the alley, bending down to pick up a piece of broken stone, slipping into the corner of the narrow lane.

A sharp crack echoed through the rain.

The native resident, who had stood motionless for so long, suddenly turned with a face both numb and cold, the expression haunted by a hint of ferocity.

A small stone struck the wall, fell into the rain-soaked ground, rolled twice, and came to rest.

Its icy gaze swept toward the depths of the alley, a guttural, unintelligible growl squeezed from its throat.

Through the misty curtain of rain, the native advanced with an iron grass fork, moving deeper into the alley.

Entering the bend, it found only black brick walls lining the narrow passage, the entire alley empty, devoid of any living creature.

The native muttered gloomily, preparing to leave—

In a flash, a saw-backed blade, as wide as three palms, sliced through the rain and descended from above!

The blade cleaved diagonally through neck and shoulder, biting deep into flesh; its coarse, serrated teeth shattered collarbone, ribs, and breastbone, severing the spine, nearly splitting the native in two.

Blood gushed like a waterfall, splattering walls and pavement.

A hand clad in black gloves gripped the handle, wrenching the saw blade free.

The corpse collapsed, rainwater washing over it, painting a crimson trail through the alley.

Li Nanke drew two deep breaths, calming the ache in his chest, then lifted the saw blade and stepped through the rain toward the slightly ajar wooden door at the alley’s entrance.

The absence of his companion made the breathing behind the door grow heavy and tense.

At last, the native could no longer restrain itself, yanking the door open and stepping into the rain—

The saw blade crashed down, splitting the skull; the primitive weapon cleaved the crown, embedding in half the brain, utterly destroying the diseased tissue.

The native convulsed briefly, its gaze fading, pupils dilating.

A black boot slammed into its chest, kicking the body into the room and withdrawing the blade.

Li Nanke followed, entered the house, and bolted the door behind him in one swift, practiced motion.

Rain and blood dripped from his leather cloak; he brushed the stains from his shoulder, steadied his breathing, and leaned against the door, listening intently.

Only when he was certain of safety did Li Nanke sigh, “Though I know this body well, it’s still too weak.”

Numbness in the limbs dulled his strength; pulmonary infection sapped his stamina and explosive power. Any forceful movement intensified the pressure in his chest, triggering violent coughing.

In a town rife with lurking natives, such coughing was a dangerous thing.

Li Nanke scanned the interior and suddenly his eyes lit up as he approached an old cabinet in the corner.

On its surface rested a locked metal box, ornate and finely wrought, engraved with intricate designs.

He tapped the lock with his saw blade—metal clinked, the latch broke, and he opened the box.

Inside, nestled in crimson silk, lay a revolver: a gleaming silver handgun.

Li Nanke was delighted.

Firearms were the perfect weapon for bolstering combat strength when physical power was lacking; as long as the enemy remained mortal, a gun could settle the fight.

But the natives’ hearing seemed unusually sharp—firing recklessly would only summon a swarm of enemies. The revolver would have to be reserved for desperate moments.

He gripped the gun, the cold, solid metal fitting perfectly in his hand. The 7.5-inch barrel promised not only accuracy but a welcome sense of security.

[Hunter’s Automatic Revolver]
[Type: Weapon/Firearm]
[Quality: Inferior]
[Rating: 15/100]
[Details: This firearm is intricately constructed, with light recoil and high shooting precision. However, its delicate mechanism is easily compromised by rain and mud; constant maintenance is essential.]
[Note: Keep your gun clean—and don’t forget the oil…]

Li Nanke arched an eyebrow, pondering the so-called “quality” and “rating.”

In certain fabricated dream worlds, designers often embedded memory data in items to give users a more intuitive sense of their power—numeric values for key objects.

When a user acquired such an item, relevant prompts would trigger. Li Nanke was neither surprised nor unsettled.

On a whim, he examined his saw blade.

The weapon, which previously displayed no information, now revealed stats after he acquired another item—as if a new permission had been unlocked.

[Initiate’s Saw Blade]
[Type: Weapon/Blade]
[Quality: Inferior]
[Rating: 12/100]
[Details: A standard weapon for apprentice initiates. The handle can be replaced with a longer one. The saw blade is primitive, wrapped in blood-stained bandages. Razor-sharp teeth forged into the blade slightly increase its lethality, but that is all.]
[Note: The feast of carnage has begun! Cry, howl, die beneath the saw blade, wicked heretic!]

Suddenly, Li Nanke sensed something amiss. With a flick of his finger, he released the lever, pressed the barrel, and broke open the revolver.

Inside, five chambers were empty; only one bullet remained.

He turned the metal box over; aside from the remaining red silk, it held nothing.

Li Nanke quickly searched the entire house, but found no extra ammunition.

“One shot is better than nothing…”

He twitched his eye, tried to look on the bright side, but couldn’t help cursing under his breath.

Li Nanke wasted no more time, opened the wooden door, and stepped once more into the chill wind and rain outside.

The door was close to the alley’s exit; a glance would reveal the street beyond.

He had barely poked his head out when he drew a sharp breath and quickly withdrew.

Outside, the wide street was broad enough for seven or eight horse-drawn carriages to ride side by side; benches along the road were rotted and gray, and the central marble fountain was long abandoned.

Through the blurred curtain of rain, he could make out a Gothic church at the end of the street. Its iron doors were thick and imposing, seemingly impenetrable.

But beside the ruined fountain, a dense throng of native townsfolk—at least thirty—gathered. Some wandered, some stood still, their faces cold and crazed.

This broad avenue appeared to be the only path to the church…

Li Nanke leaned against the wall, closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and let the icy rain soak his hair and run down his face.

If he were still Johnny, the legendary killer from his previous dream, with that formidable physique and overwhelming firepower, he’d have no fear—even against so many foes, he’d have the confidence to fight his way out.

But now?

He had a single bullet and a saw blade.

Given his current condition, to battle his way through this horde of native monsters was pure fantasy.

If even three or five natives spotted and surrounded him, he’d face certain death.

“In circumstances of extreme scarcity and weakness, a dreamer cannot possibly reach the church safely on their own.”

“If there are no hidden shortcuts, there’s only one way to break through!”

He pressed himself tightly against the wall, carefully concealing his presence, and peered once more into the alley.

With heightened synchronization, his vision was sharper than ever. Scanning the area, he quickly found his target.

Across the street, in the shadows of another alley, another figure was cautiously surveying the surroundings, a stone clutched in their hand. Li Nanke’s gaze grew cold.