Nightmare Paradise : Starting as a Doctor

When Boss Reggie understood the man's identity, his single eye narrowed into a contemplative glare. "The other party arranged for a bodyguard to send you back?  I assume the treatment went well?"

However, Lynn shook his head, a small sigh escaping his lips. "I wouldn't say I cured the tycoon, but I did manage to ease his condition somewhat." Obviously, this was not the complete truth.

"Did you receive the payment, then?" The barkeeper inquired eagerly. He didn’t care about this rich client or his condition, but the three briefcases between their hands already told him the response he wanted.

"Not just a hundred fifty thousand, but a full three hundred thousand. Let's go inside and talk about it," Lynn stated calmly, nodding. This unexpected response caused the narrowing eye to widen in surprise.

"Three… Three… Three hundred thousand?!” the man exclaimed in a hushed tone, careful not to attract attention from the tavern's patrons. When he had arranged this job, he had anticipated additional rewards if successful, but nothing on this scale.

Quickly recovering from the surprise, he hurriedly led him into the familiar cramped backroom behind the bar counter, ensuring the door was firmly shut to avoid any prying eyes or ears.

Reggie's old but strong hands trembled faintly as he reverently grasped a thick stack of bills, crisp and pristine from the opened briefcases. He raised them to his lips and planted a fervent kiss on the paper.

"Doctor, I knew I was right about you from the very beginning," he proclaimed, his gravelly voice tinged with deep emotion. "You are truly my god of wealth."

Lynn smiled and gave a small nod in response to the dramatic display. He watched with quiet amusement as the barkeeper continued showering affection upon the stacks of money.

It was an understandable reaction. After all, the amount contained within the three briefcases resting open on the table amounted to a staggering sum - three hundred thousand dollars in cash.

After a while, the one-eyed man regained his composure and carefully placed the wad of bills back in its place. He refocused his attention back to the individual before him, inquiring about the details of the encounter.

Lynn settled more comfortably into his chair as he prepared to recount the eventful experience. He chose his words carefully, crafting a narrative that avoided any mention of the special disease or how he had treated it.

The bartender listened attentively to the revised story, his canny mind picking up on certain omissions. However, when he guessed the client’s identity, he wisely chose not to press for further details, 

The less he knew, the better it would be. Lynn also chose not to mention the three remaining sessions scheduled to treat the old man and their payment. No need to divulge the entirety of his gains.

Nine hundred thousand federal dollars were on the line. If he mentioned that, it was unlikely Boss Reggie would let go so easily. He didn't trust the professional ethics of a shady middleman.

As the conversation continued, the topic subtly shifted to their previous agreement. "So, what's your plan for all this loot? Are you still interested in buying information about the central district?”

Lynn paused for a moment, before agreeing. Extending his arm, he smoothly pushed one of the three metallic briefcases across the table, bringing it to a halt in front of the burly man.

The money inside was just enough to satisfy the agreed-upon commission percentage for arranging the high-paying medical job, as well as the negotiated price for the valuable information he wanted.

The barkeeper’s single eye lit up greedily at the sight and a grin slowly spread across his face. He grabbed a few folders containing various documents from a nearby piece of furniture and slid them across the table.

Simultaneously, he began elaborating on the specifics of the information provided, adopting a dramatic and theatrical tone as he painted a vivid picture of the central district.

...

...

Half an hour later, the wooden door of the Whispering Serpent swung shut behind him with a thud as Lynn emerged onto the street enveloped in the darkness of the night.

Clutching a briefcase securely in each hand under the black cloak, he set off down the broken sidewalk at a brisk pace. His acute senses remained on high alert, watchful for any fishy characters who might target him.

Fortunately, the murky gloom acted as the perfect shroud, hiding his presence as he made his way through the intricate maze of narrow alleys and streets of the outer district.

Normally, carrying this substantial amount of cash around was just asking for trouble. But despite Boss Reggie's offer to help him launder or convert the money into a different form, he had politely declined.

He knew better than to trust others, especially in a seedy place like this. Stepping out from the opposite end of an isolated path, his hands were no longer occupied. His luggage was now securely stowed away in his inventory, preserved for future use.

Increasing his pace, Lynn decided not to return to the previous building he had used as a refuge up until now. Its location was now known to the barkeeper and Anton, and possibly others.

Just to be safe, he wanted to entirely change places. He already had a perfect area in mind, suited for his next plans - a spot situated near the walls surrounding the central district's entrance.

Navigating the labyrinthine alleys from memory, he soon arrived at the intended location. Standing opposite the gateway, he observed its distant silhouette, bathed in the intermittent glow of scattered streetlights.

His gaze followed the perimeter, scrutinizing the surroundings. He spotted a promising target - a depilated apartment building whose crumbling facade faced the fortified boundary.

Due to its proximity to the off-limits central district, most vagrants and unsavory individuals avoided the area. This particular building had been untouched for many years, left to gradually decay.

Lynn circled the side of the desolate complex, finding a less exposed entrance. He carefully pried loose a barricaded door, opening just enough space to slip inside the ground floor.

Using the thin rays of moonlight filtering through grimy windows, he silently navigated the cluttered interior. The main lobby was strewn with debris and remnants of what was once a reception area.

On the top floor, he came across a small apartment unit tucked away at the end of a dusty hallway. Its door hung partially ajar, creaking faintly as it swayed in the stale air.

It was a modest one-bedroom unit, relatively intact compared to the rest of the decaying complex. Glass crunched underfoot as he explored the main living space for any signs of life.

The furniture had long since disappeared, probably scavenged by previous occupants. All that remained were faded squares on the floor outlining where major pieces once sat.

Venturing into the small kitchen, Lynn noted the door of the cabinet under the sink was slightly ajar. Crouching down, he opened it fully to reveal a musty sleeping bag and pillow stashed inside.

"Looks like someone was using this place before me," Lynn murmured. After confirming the apartment was vacant, he decided this would serve as an ideal temporary base for the next few nights.

Finding some relatively clean rags and newspaper sheets, he set about wiping down the surfaces and clearing away much of the dust and grime that had accumulated over the years.

He then grabbed the pillow and gave it a few firm whacks against the wall, sending puffs of dirt flying. It wasn't the most sanitary, but it would have to do for now.

Lynn settled down and leaned back against the wall beneath the room's sole window. Gazing out at the night sky, he contemplated his next moves. There were barely 24 hours left before the opening of the central district.

Extracting the monster whispering manual from his inventory, he began reading it by the moonlight filtering through the dusty glass. Every opportunity to absorb the knowledge contained within these pages was precious.

However, something suddenly interrupted his reading. For a split second, his extraordinary perception detected a faint skittering sound coming from a corner.

A moment later it happened again, louder this time. His eyes immediately focused on the source of the disturbance. Lynn's acute senses zeroed in on the darkened junction across from where he sat. 

Activating his class skill [String Threading], multiple thin white lines instantly emerged from the fingertips of his outstretched hand, slithering through the air like snakes.