Conan Rick's Investigator

Just spin it a few times in your hand, then throw it upwards, and it will surely hook the claws of some solid object.

However, judging from the introduction, the working principle of this flying claw should be different from that of ordinary flying claws.

Ordinary flying claws are used to hook onto solid objects, so it is more appropriate to call them "flying hooks".

This flying claw is made of the investigator's hand bones and can grab directly on the edge of the cliff.

The body fell to the bottom of the abyss, but the hand bones were still holding on to the cliff. I guess this thing must be very sturdy.

However, Qin Zhibo currently has no need to climb cliffs, and even if he does, he does not have enough proficiency to exchange for it.

【Bait Doll】

A life-size human-like doll

[Cooling time: 3 days]

[Has a high taunting effect on non-humans]

[You must prioritize attacking minions with taunts]

[Price: 2000 Proficiency]

Judging from the introduction, this prop is more used to deal with non-human creatures.

If you encounter creatures like tigers and bears in the forest, it should be able to save your life.

After all, creatures in the wild generally have a more sensitive sense of smell and hearing, so the ring's invisibility may not be enough to escape, and the problem with the flash of inspiration gun is that it targets humans.

Xiong: Did you turn off the gas before you went out this morning?

【Scare Box】

[Trap Consumables]

[Can be freely placed within a ten-meter range, in invisible state]

[After placement, it will automatically trigger when within a two-meter range, weakening the target by 10-20 points and slowing their movement speed.]

[Cannot cause substantial harm]

【Boom!——Devil Clown】

[Price: 500 proficiency/piece]

This is the only item Qin Zhibo can currently afford, but it is a consumable item.

The ten-meter placement range provides more usage scenarios for this prop.

For example, when you are chasing someone, you can place the scare box to slow down the opponent before the opponent runs out of your range of ten meters.

This thing might come in handy...

Alhazred's Oil Lamp

[It can be used as a stable lighting and has the magical power to reveal certain scenes]

[During the lighting process, there is a chance that your soul will leave your body and see the scene that Alhazred experienced.]

If the soul is tempered for a long time, it can freely enter the eternal fading realm.

Inspiration! Infinite inspiration! —Howard Phillips

[Price: 5000 Proficiency]

Who is Alhazred?

Qin Zhibo described this prop as "a magic prop of unclear meaning."

Next……

【Gift of the Golden Tree】

[Incarnation of the Dharma Ring, Blessing of the Golden Tree]

[Followers of the Supreme Will, after undergoing trials, will receive this favor]

[Wear to gain a significant increase in physical strength]

[Lani? Or Melina? That's the question... —The Fader]

I want them all! —Another Fader

[Price: 10000 Proficiency]

The Gift of the Golden Tree may have been a wearable ornament, similar to the Lord of the Rings.

Its effect is very attractive to Qin Zhibo and can increase his physical strength.

The key point is this "substantially".

If I had this gadget, coupled with my already impressive physical strength and the Krav Maga skills I could practice at any time, wouldn't that make me the equivalent of a superhuman on Earth?

Punching Tyson, kicking...

Qin Zhibo couldn't think of anyone alive who was good at kicking, so he paused.

But recalling the news that was often broadcast on TV, Qin Zhibo thought of the "Kicking Prince" who set a record of 400 consecutive victories and became the All-Japan Karate Champion.

Kicking Kyogoku Makoto is no problem!

However, a proficiency level of 10000 is still unattainable for Qin Zhibo at the moment.

But I have a full week...

[Character Skills - Spiritualism]

[Can summon the souls of humans and even animals]

[Price: 2000 Proficiency]

The skill refreshed this time was no longer a magical skill for employment, but a skill that even Qin Zhibo was somewhat surprised by.

From beauty and hairdressing to spiritualism...

This gap is too big!

Judging from the introduction, this skill is probably what psychics on TV do, except that this skill is not a trick, but real spiritualism.

Koizumi Hongzi introduced the art of spiritualism in the magic class.

Spiritualism is actually similar to summoning spirits, both of which summon things that do not exist in this world into the real world.

However, Koizumi Akako only knows how to summon certain gods, such as Lucifer, whom she calls a "tool man", and cannot summon human souls at will.

"The human soul is meant to rest, not to be summoned at will..." said Koizumi Akako.

But Qin Zhibo was somewhat interested in this spiritualism.

If necromancy could indeed summon the spirits of the dead, then it would be perfect for solving crimes.

However, this method of solving cases does exist at present. Qin Zhibo still remembers that there was a person called "Soul Detective" on TV who debuted as a detective using this gimmick.

However, this method of solving cases will not be adopted by the police and can generally only be used as a means to entertain the public and attract attention.

After looking at all six props refreshed this week, Qin Zhibo was relatively satisfied.

Except for the [Alhazred's Oil Lamp], whose introduction is a bit obscure and whose meaning is not quite understood, other props including skills are useful.

Especially the [Gift of the Golden Tree], maybe it can help me become One Punch Man.

To quote the introduction, I want them all!

If this week is as long as last week, Qin Zhibo feels that there is still hope of purchasing all the props he needs.

And right now, I just happen to have a place to gain general skill proficiency.

Qin Zhibo picked up another research manuscript borrowed from the castle study next to the table.

【Survey√】

Mamiya Sadao's research manuscript: This document records Mamiya Sadao's 1980 investigation into the collective madness of artists.

[Reading this manuscript will result in a loss of 2-6 Willpower points. Proficiency in Weird Mythology Knowledge and Skills + Lost Willpower Points × 100]

【Language communication, can read】

【Do you want to read? 】

Qin Zhibo looked at his willpower, which was currently 85, enough to pay the price.

【Read√】

Chapter 278 An old friend from sixteen years ago

In his research manuscript, Mamiya Sadaaki first visited most of the artists in the country.

Among them were musicians, sculptors, painters, etc., all of whom suffered from varying degrees of illness after March 1980, 3.

The most severe and typical case is that of the famous engraver Mr. Akutsu Mabu.

When Qin Zhibo saw this name, he had some impression of it.

Isn't this the father of the engraver Akutsu Makoto whom he had investigated before?

Akutsu Mabu was a talented engraver. During the rare times during the day when his madness subsided, he would personally narrate his dreams.

He dreamed of a towering city made of majestic boulders and towering pillars, covered with wet green algae.

Even through dreams, one can clearly sense the danger and foreboding there. The atmosphere of terror permeates this extremely depressing underwater city.

[In a direction he couldn't determine the location, he heard a sound that wasn't a sound]

[It is more of a chaotic feeling than a sound, and it takes a proper imagination to transform this feeling into a sound that humans can understand.]

【That is……】

【Cthulhu fhtagn! 】

Even Qin Zhibo, who is from Hawaii, doesn't know how to spell this word.

However, in Mamiya Sadaki's manuscript, he very considerately attached a transliteration under this word.

"gram……"

"Sulu..."

"Cthulhu Fortan!"

For some reason, when Qin Zhibo finished spelling out the entire word, his tone of voice rose unconsciously, as if his brain had actively added some emotion to it.

After the emotion subsided a little, Qin Zhibo carefully recalled that when he first visited the foreign Bodhisattva, he seemed to hear a series of strange sounds when he came into contact with the inspiration from the deep sea.

That strange sound that no human could make seemed to be...

"Cthulhu Fortan..."

Qin Zhibo silently memorized this "invented" word in his mind and continued reading the manuscript.

The later part of the manuscript details Akutsu Mabu's madness, which is very similar to what Qin Zhibo had learned at the time, so it is not worth repeating.

[Except for Mr. Akutsu Mabu, most artists in Japan have more or less sensed this bizarre dream about the Stone City, with one exception...]

During my research, I had the opportunity to visit musician Keiji Aso, who had just returned to Japan after a US tour.

Keiji Aso said he hadn't had any dreams about the underwater megalithic city recently, but had another unusual and strange dream...

[It was a king sitting on the throne, wearing a ragged yellow shirt, extending his hand to him.]

When he couldn't help but be attracted by the king's charm and extended his hand, he found that the hand hidden under the yellow shirt was a hand with pale skin and no blood vessels, like a dead person.

[This dream has been bothering him for a long time...]

This is strange. I haven't heard of such dreams among the many artists I've visited. Therefore, the dream that troubles Mr. Aso Keiji may have nothing to do with the research I'm conducting.

[In addition to domestic artists, foreign artists also visited, and the content of the dreams was similar. Several foreign artists also mentioned that they dreamed of a voice that sounded like Cthulhu fhtagn.]

【This is definitely not a coincidence! 】

[But the specific reason remains to be investigated...]

During my stay in the United States, I visited my father-in-law’s alma mater, Miskatonic University.

Miskatonic University just suffered a severe flood, and half of the campus was almost destroyed. I brought my sincere greetings and donations on behalf of my father-in-law who is now bedridden.