In the dimly lit room.
The TV screen flickered incessantly, emitting screams.
Fang Cheng sat cross-legged, with several foreign language textbooks in front of him.
A foreign original film was playing on TV.
Of course, it belonged to the serious category.
Fang Cheng merely glanced at the old teacher’s works lent by Wu Datong, uninterested.
If one wants to master a language quickly, besides finding a good teacher and practicing speaking and listening.
Watching more original films and dramas with subtitles is also a good choice.
Fang Cheng was currently studying intently.
His gaze followed the film’s main male and female characters, mimicking their accents and the scenes they were in, softly reading the lines.
The desk clock showed the time, 23:15.
At such late and quiet times, Fang Cheng would usually be in bed.
Today, he extended his self-study into the late evening to boost his skill progression.
His preparations for the postgraduate entrance exam were already very solid.
He could dedicate all his study time to foreign languages.
Another ten or so minutes passed.
In the movie, the male and female protagonists finally escaped the terrifying demon cave, entering a joyful and relaxed grand finale.
At this moment, Fang Cheng’s lips also revealed a comfortable smile.
The panel flickered with light, and several notification messages appeared.
[Your study of foreign languages has reached a certain level of proficiency, successfully mastering a language skill]
[Unlocked Skill: Latin lv0 (0/100)]
Fang Cheng breathed a sigh of relief, looking at the newly added skill column.
[Japan Language lv0 (75/100)]
[Nanyang Language lv0 (11/100)]
[Desert Language lv0 (3/100)]
After diligent studies over many days, he successively unlocked four foreign language skills.
After completing the task, Fang Cheng yawned and stretched.
He then stood up, preparing to wash up and sleep.
Just then, he noticed a few lines of additional small text at the bottom of the panel.
He paused his steps and took a closer look.
[Reminder, the total number of unlocked skill slots on the panel is limited to 25]
[In order not to affect normal usage, please choose to combine some skills into corresponding talents; if skills trigger special conditions, they can also be combined into exclusive skills]
After understanding the meaning, Fang Cheng couldn’t help but frown slightly.
He counted the total number of skills on the panel; including the newly unlocked Latin, the count had reached 20, leaving only 5 slots to the limit.
According to the information provided by the panel, all skills can be merged into talents, with a few special skills able to be turned into exclusive skills.
What exclusive skills were, Fang Cheng didn’t know yet.
To clear space on the panel for effective skill slots, he had to make a rational choice.
If operating under a principle of maximizing benefits.
The best choice would be to wait until a skill could no longer be upgraded before combining it.
But he didn’t know the level limits of the skills he mastered?
Thinking it over, Fang Cheng still felt that combining language talents was straightforward.
"With my current Spirit Attribute and learning capabilities, I can fully boost three foreign language skills to lv2 within a month, thus obtaining an excellent quality talent."
"If I can further upgrade to lv3, then achieving an Epic talent isn’t impossible..."
With his plan set, Fang Cheng no longer hesitated and looked at the calendar on the wall.
"Next, let’s properly assimilate the skills I’ve mastered..."
It had been four days since Shijima Gorou’s disappearance, and life had been very peaceful.
No police had come to inquire, nor had any strangers approached him.
Fang Cheng felt this was reasonable and was quite calm about it.
He was just an ordinary civilian.
Even though he had visited Shijima Gorou in the hospital on behalf of the club to greet a client, it was all above board.
There was nothing suspicious about it.
As for the man in black who sank into the Tai River, Fang Cheng had also left no trace that might be caught.
A downpour of raindrops pelting the windows suddenly interrupted his thoughts.
Outside, a heavy rain suddenly started and the wind instantly rushed in.
Ding-dong, ding-dong—
In front of the half-open window, a string of wind chimes spun.
They were the Praying Bells Fang Cheng’s mother had obtained from Gufeng Temple two years ago, meant to bless the home with peace.
Fang Cheng quickly went over and closed the window.
Then he quickly washed his face and lay down in bed, curling up in the warm blankets.
His eyes slightly closed, breathing long and steady.
Unconsciously, he drifted into a dream.
In the darkness, the sound of rain was loud yet serene.
It seemed to cover everything.
Even the occasional sound of a car engine and the neon light reflections on the wall became distant and blurred.
Suddenly, a faint voice drifted in, as if a cold wind had entered his ears.
Fang Cheng lay in bed, his eyebrows slightly furrowed, turning over in his blankets.
His nostrils continued to emit a slight snoring sound, long and even.
After a while, that sound came again.
It became sharper, more agonizing.
Fang Cheng was suddenly awoken from his dream.
He opened his eyes and looked up at the clock on the table.
Then he propped up his body with his arm, half-sitting, and listened carefully.
But apart from the rush of the rain and the neon light shadows cast on the wall from nearby buildings,
there was no other movement.
Fang Cheng frowned, unable to help but yawn.
He was very doubtful about the sound he had just heard, thinking it might have been in his dream.
At this time, night owls were asleep, and it was not yet time for early workers to get up.
It was the quietest moment.
Where could that strange noise have come from?
Could it be that the continuous rain and unusual weather had even caused stray cats to call for mates in the winter?
While full of doubts, the strange noise suddenly arose again, and this time continuously for a while.
It sounded like someone was being tortured.
Moaning, crying, heart-wrenchingly sorrowful, immensely distressing.
The sound eerily echoed through the rainy night, making one shudder involuntarily.
Fang Cheng was also startled and immediately got out of bed, quickly walking to the window and pulling open the curtains.
He didn’t turn on the light but looked through the foggy and rain-blurred glass to observe the street scene.
It was pitch black outside.
Although the screaming was somewhat faint, it still intermittently penetrated the rain curtain, drifting into his ears.
This time, Fang Cheng could finally distinguish clearly.
The sound was not coming from one person’s throat but seemed to be a mix of several people’s screams.
He could roughly judge that the source was at least several hundred meters away from the tubular building.
He frowned deeply, simply pushed open the window, and looked closely outside.
However, at this moment—
The cries abruptly stopped.
The rainy night was as dark as ink, nearly drowning the entire Old Factory Street.
Only a few firefly-like streetlights and a 24-hour motel’s red sign flickered in the darkness.
Raindrops continuously tapped on the windowsill, emitting crisp sounds and adding an even chillier atmosphere.
Looking at the once again silent early morning night sky, feeling the waves of chill attacking him,
Fang Cheng shook his head, suppressing his curiosity.
He decided it was better to mind his own business and go back to lie down for a while.
Only with sufficient sleep could he ensure the efficiency of the morning exercise that would follow.
Just as he was reaching out to close the window, he heard an unusual noise faintly approaching.
Amidst the heavy rain, a series of hurried, faint footsteps suddenly arose, rapidly approaching from a distance.