Indeed, Annan had realized the stake in “Nightmare: Gallery” was much deeper than he initially thought.
Annan just learned that the reason why “the Venerated Skeleton” in Freezing Water Port answered “I’m listening” was because the Venerated Skeleton was listening!
Having a deity staying in such a remote place for decades, it was evident how unusual this nightmare was.
Rather than fleeing, it was better to confront the enemy head-on now.
Since Annan had Old Grandmother’s real name at his disposal, the Venerated Skeleton did not dare to kill him for the time being. With that, Annan had to quickly collect the “criminal evidence” of the Venerated Skeleton. With that done, he would at least have some chips for negotiation.
—Let’s clear the second level first.
By following Jiu Er’s strategy, Annan bypassed Joseph efficiently. Then, he got a knife and tomato, activating “Gallery: Feast For The Hungry.”
Amos, dressed in a decent manner and with a gentle smile, politely extended a clean and fair right hand to Annan and warmly invited,
“Hello, sir. Can I hire you to become my model?”
Annan raised his head and met Amos’s gaze for a second.
At that moment, Amos suddenly felt an inexplicable panic in his heart.
Annan also temporarily confirmed that this was indeed not the “human Amos” encountered on the third level.
Did he sacrifice his conscience? Annan wondered.
He immediately expressed the wince, alert, and distrust that belonged to a homeless man. His eyes were dim and hopeless.
The mission debriefs appeared before his eyes:
[You have entered Gallery: Feast For The Hungry (Second Level).]
[Main mission: Act as the homeless man “Amis.”]
Immediately, a large number of texts appeared below this line of words:
[Complete the portrait.]
[Meet the other three homeless men.]
[Having at least one person survive until dark.]
Let’s start with him painting me first. Annan thought to himself.
Fortunately, when Amos drew, time was skipped directly. What happened was Annan’s vision turned black, and the painting was finished straight. The situation was completely different from the third level.
Or maybe this was because there were indeed completed homeless men portraits in the original history, but Elle’s portrait wasn’t done.
Judging from the Wandering Child’s situation, Elle should have been taken to the basement in real history. The diary should have been obtained at the end of the third level, not in the dungeon instance.
Looking at Annan, whose eyes were dim and indistinguishable from other homeless men, Amos smiled gracefully and calmly.
Although Amos was self-aware of his murder intention, he smiled without any psychological pressure and reached out his hand to Annan, “If you help me to finish a portrait, I will get you to a hot bath and clean clothes. Moreover, I will grant you food for three days. How’s that sound?”
Annan’s eyes flickered with hope.
He hesitated for a while, muttering in a low voice, “I don’t want it.”
“Then, what do you want?” Amos replied.
Annan wasn’t the first homeless man to reject Amos.
Amos just asked patiently, “Money? Food? A job?”
“I want money!” Annan said with his hoarse throat, “I want two… no, six silver coins!”
“Well…” Amos pondered.
Annan looked at Amos cautiously, proving hesitantly. Finally, he reached out his wrinkled fingers, “No, I mean… five will do. Five will do. Yes, we can go with four too.”
“It’s fine. I can’t grant you six silver coins.” Amos interrupted him.
He said with a gentle expression, “Besides, I will treat you to a meal. Do you need a bath?”
“I don’t want to take a bath! By the way, I want a deposit!”
Annan reached out his hand eagerly, glanced at Amos with some suspicion, and said rudely, “Give me half of the silver coins first, and I will go with you!”
“Sure.”
Seeing that Annan was asking for silver coins, Amos hesitated for a moment.
But he quickly laughed at himself for his suspicion. How could the bossy people in Silver Sire Church end up in dire straits?
The desolation and depression of this homeless man are authentic.
So, Amos took out his wallet from the painting and gave Annan three silver coins.
If Annan only wanted a silver coin, Amos might have given him copper at equivalent value. But for three silver coins, he won’t be able to find so much loose change in a while.
It’s just a homeless man anyway. So Amos comforted himself in his heart.
Annan got a lot of silver coins and became quieter.
He put the silver coin in his sleeve and hid it tightly.
He confirmed the divine art he had:
—Clanging Object: A low-consumption divine art triggered with silver coins. It has the same power as a gunshot.
—Sharp Object: A divine art that can turn silver coins into sharp daggers.
—Eternal Youth: A divine art that consumes silver coins to heal injuries.
Annan had three silver coins at his disposal at this moment.
Looking at Amos’s back, Annan crouched and showed a weird smile.
He didn’t act as “naive” as Jiu Er. Instead, Annan’s way of acting like a homeless man had his personal touch.
Amos didn’t have that interest in chatting with Annan on the road.
They walked to the living room on the fourth floor without a single word uttered.
Annan saw the three homeless men in white robes and pajamas whispering among themselves.
They looked happy when they saw Annan.
The younger one and soon-to-be homeless man paste waved to Annan enthusiastically.
[Meeting the other three homeless men completed.]
Seeing the reminder of the side mission’s completion, Annan glanced at them with disgust, turning his head away with indifference.
At this time, Amos was still aside, explaining warmly, “They are also friends who come to assist with my portrait painting. They have lived here for several days. How about you stay as well?”
“No.”
Annan glanced at Amos somewhat indifferently, with apparent alertness on his face.
He replied hurriedly, “Get your painting done quickly. I will leave when the painting is done.”
“En… okay.” Amos agreed reluctantly.
Annan saw a murderous intent on Amos’s face.
He should be planning to kill me when he finishes the painting and sends me out. Annan sneered in his heart.
Perhaps because Annan killed his hype, Amos did not show him the “Feast of the Hungry.”
Amos kept a stern expression, opened a corner of the curtain, ordered Annan to stand in front, and began to paint.
I get it now! Enlightenment rose in Annan’s heart.
The reason why Jiu Er saw the painting here with his erosion rate increased was that she “was not acting like a homeless man.” So, was that a punishment?
You can’t be elegant playing as a clown.
You need to act like one!
Moreover, Amos had a tighter grip on his painting as compared to back then when he painted for Jiu Er. It was like the bold and wild Chinese calligraphy.
It was also different from the “drowsy” feeling Jiu Er mentioned on the forum.
Annan felt the intense pain.
It was like being squeezed from all directions by something.
It felt like being tied up with hands and feet and slowly sinking to the sea bottom.
Annan’s consciousness gradually blurred. Everything in front of him was stretched.
At this moment, Annan heard Amos’ voice.
It was an indifferent, deep interrogation,
“Think carefully…
“Are you not hungry at all?”
Hungry my ass—
With an intense hunger in his belly, Annan suddenly lost consciousness.