Shen Lu: I've Mutated into Multiple Game-Breaking Abilities

Chapter 18: A New Home and the House-Protection Talisman

After they’d finished getting to know each other, Ling Yi waved his hand and was about to leave. “All right, I live in that building up ahead. I’ll definitely bring you the curse-breaking talisman within the next day or two.” “I’ll head out now...” Before he could finish, Lin Shurou’s eyes widened. She covered her mouth with her small, fair hand and asked, slightly startled, “Are you one of the survivors?” “You live there all by yourself!?” Ling Yi had just turned to leave, but upon hearing the surprise in her voice, he couldn’t help but turn back, driven by curiosity. “... Yeah, why?” There are survivors everywhere—why does this guy look so surprised? Lin Shurou shook her head, waved her hands at him, and laughed, “Nothing, nothing. I’m just a little surprised.” “Generally speaking, survivors tend to look rather run-down. With limited food, their physical condition isn’t usually very good. And because of their limited circumstances, it’s hard for them to maintain good personal hygiene...” She scanned Ling Yi from head to toe once more, even leaning in slightly to take a light sniff. “You don’t have the slightest unpleasant odor on you. Your demeanor is better than that of the vast majority of people I’ve seen, and your posture is straight and strong...” Lin Shurou furrowed her delicate brows slightly, pondering for a moment before finding the right words. “In short, you’re like a vibrant Sun—you give me a completely different impression from them!” Before Ling Yi could reply, she added, “But since you live in that building, how about...” Her gaze quickly swept over Ling Yi’s face, then she lowered her head with a hint of shyness and continued in a soft voice, “Why don’t you just move in with me?” Her voice grew quieter and quieter. “... Huh?” Ling Yi had heard her clearly, but this was a direction he’d never even considered. For a moment, he was at a loss. He could only ask instinctively, “Why?” “The curse on me hasn’t been completely lifted yet. I could fall back into a deep sleep at any moment. If someone were to accidentally break in then, wouldn’t I just be at their mercy?” “Then aren’t you afraid of me?” Ling Yi asked, raising an eyebrow. Lin Shurou blinked, then suddenly burst out laughing. “Would it do any good if I were afraid of you? Besides, it doesn’t matter anymore. Anyway… I don’t dislike you.” Ling Yi wasn’t one for excessive politeness either. The living conditions here were clearly better. Since the landlord was willing to let him stay for free, he wasn’t going to make a fuss. With her help, he had everything settled that very afternoon. His clothes and other daily necessities were brought over by evening and neatly put away in their proper places. He even had dinner right there. And while Lin Shurou was fast asleep in her room, Ling Yi sat in the downstairs lobby, pondering the situation carefully. “For me, it’s just a change to a better living environment.” “But for her, it’s practically like letting a wolf into her home… Ugh, I’m no wolf…” Ling Yi knew he was a good person. But Lin Shurou couldn’t be sure of that. Under these circumstances, she still dared to invite him to move in—it really baffled him. If it were just about the curse, a temporary stay of two or three days would have sufficed; there was no need to move in permanently... After mulling it over in his mind without reaching a conclusion, Ling Yi decided to stop thinking about it. He still had to enter Shen Lu tomorrow, so he needed to hurry up and plan his actions for the next day. ...... In the blink of an eye, it was late at night. 11:50 p. m. Only 10 minutes remained until midnight on June 2nd. Ling Yi sat on the edge of Lin Shurou’s bed. Seeing that she showed no signs of waking up, he couldn’t help but furrow his brow slightly. “I’m about to enter Shen Lu in a moment, but it’s still unsettling to leave her sleeping like this.” That evening, he had made a point of checking the latest news. He discovered numerous cases of players infringing on the rights of ordinary people. For example, one player had acquired the ability to telekinetically move objects and was openly stealing things right on the street. Another player, having obtained the ability to shapeshift, transformed into the CEO of a company and swindled away millions. Another player, possessing the ability to travel through the ground, would wander all over the place because he loved to travel—often ending up inside other people’s homes—and received over three hundred complaints in ten days... These were just the tip of the iceberg. But they were enough to make one realize: no matter when, one must always be prepared to deal with unexpected situations. After thinking it over for a moment, Ling Yi decided to check out the shop. He wanted to see if he could find anything there that would be useful in his current situation. The shop was divided into four sections: “Potions,” “Charms,” “Items,” and “Other.” There were no sections for skills or weapons; clearly, those two types of items weren’t sold here. Ling Yi entered “protect an area” as a keyword to search for relevant items. Before long, a large number of items popped up below. Among them, one item caught his eye. [Home Protection Talisman (D)]: Attach it to a wall to seal off this house from outsiders, external objects, and attacks for the next 1 minute. “Home Protection Talisman—Mutation Potential: Extremely High” The original effect was decent, to say the least. But the duration was too short for Ling Yi to even consider it. However, the “Extremely High” mutation potential indicated by the Super Mutation System reignited his hope for this talisman. Time was of the essence, so he quickly purchased the [House Protection Talisman] and applied the mutation to it. “Are you sure you want to mutate the House Protection Talisman? (Requires 80 Mutation Points)” “Confirm!” No sooner had the words left his mouth than the talisman in his backpack quickly began to blur. A few breaths later, it regained its clarity. Ling Yi rubbed his hands together and opened it with great anticipation. “I’m pretty insecure myself—I hope this lasts forever.” He could only mutate the same item once. If he couldn’t mutate this [Home Protection Talisman]—which possessed “extremely high” potential—to produce the result he wanted, it wouldn’t be so easy to achieve a perfect “home protection” effect later on. [Home Protection Talisman (D)]: As long as it is affixed to a wall, this residence gains the following effects. ①: No entity may enter this house without the permission of the person who affixed the talisman. ②: No supernatural effects can take effect within this house without the approval of the person who affixed the talisman. ③: Ignores all external attacks. “Wow! This thing...” Ling Yi was so delighted he didn’t know what to say for a moment. No entry, supernatural effects nullified, attacks ignored. These three points alone are enough to ensure the safety of everyone inside! And more importantly, after being modified, this [House Protection Talisman] has transformed from a single-use talisman into a permanent one. Even if I move to a new place in the future, I can still take it with me! “Great! With this, at least at home, I can rest easy!” Ling Yi couldn’t wait to return to the bedroom Lin Shurou had arranged for him—which was actually right next door to her own bedroom. He stuck the talisman on the wall beside his bed. To be honest. In the eyes of the powerful, he was currently as weak as an ordinary person. He, too, feared that battles between the powerful might draw him into the fray. He feared waking up to find his head severed from his body. Therefore. As the talisman radiated a soothing wave of emerald light throughout the room, Ling Yi felt more relaxed than ever before. He felt an unparalleled sense of security! Now. Even if a Level 100 powerhouse tried to enter, it would be impossible without his permission.