Benjamin stayed where he was, and a piece of information emerged from the Lighthouse mark.
[This strength assessment: Level 1, Intermediate. Upload to personal information?]
Benjamin selected "No," then slightly gathered his strength, unleashing a set of Unrestricted Fighting Techniques.
He continued to check the assessment information:
[This strength assessment: Level 1, Intermediate. Upload to personal information?]
The assessment information remained unchanged, seemingly accepting his overall physical attributes as Level 1, Intermediate.
Benjamin took out the pistol he had seized from the middle-aged man with the smoky voice, fired a shot, but the assessment still didn't change.
Just as he was about to upload the strength assessment and leave, putting the pistol back into his personal space, he suddenly noticed the alloy briefcase and the ice crystal ball in his private space.
The crystal ball remained unchanged in his hand, so Benjamin picked up the briefcase that the little devil had already punctured a hole in.
[This strength assessment: Level 1, Advanced. Upload to personal information?] "No."
Benjamin was somewhat surprised.
His assessment had actually improved while he was holding the briefcase.
After thinking about it carefully, he realized it made sense.
After all, handguns weren't much of a threat to him now.
Only if a dozen or so guns are fired at the same time, and he has neither blood nor cover, is it possible to break his limbs and kill him.
According to the manual, those who reached Level 1 were already beyond the limits of an ordinary human body, and a handgun wouldn't pose much of a threat.
However, with Benjamin' s physical abilities, wielding the briefcase, which was like a hammer, capable of blocking and smashing, and with his blood energy reserves, he was practically an infinitely rechargeable human pile driver.
Benjamin understood the problem, put away the briefcase, and his assessment dropped back to Level 1, Intermediate.
"Upload."
[Upload successful, personal information template updated]
The Lighthouse mark displayed personal information:
Lighthouse Number: SL914
Identity: Tower Guardian
Strength: Level 1, Intermediate
Survival Points: 7597. "Return."
Benjamin' s surroundings changed, and he returned to his Lighthouse space.
Every minute in the testing room was a survival point, so he aimed to finish within one minute.
Benjamin sat on the sofa and checked his clothes; not a speck of dust had been brought back.
He then began to review the two messages the Lighthouse mark had just transmitted.
[Strength reached Level 1, unlocked Lighthouse storyline advance notification privilege]
[Next storyline world: *The Screaming Skull*, countdown 29 days, 17:23 (refreshable)]
Benjamin frowned. Although he spent his past life watching movies at home, he hadn't seen this one. He didn't know if he' d missed it or if the movie simply didn't exist.
If the movie didn't exist in his past life, then things were already developing in an unpredictable direction.
Benjamin tried clicking refresh.
[Spend 500 points to refresh the scenario world?] "Yes."
The information before Benjamin' s eyes changed instantly:
[Refresh successful, next story world: *Tumbbad (2018)* (refreshable)]
This refreshed story world relieved Benjamin, as he had seen the movie, confirming his guess: the story worlds of the Lighthouse space were all horror movie worlds from his past life, or at least most of them.
This was evident from *Hellraiser*, the Paper Tower Master' s background music, and the intelligence reports of *The First Commandment* and *The Haunted Village*.
Benjamin continued to check the Lighthouse' s 'Appraisal' function. He took out his alloy briefcase, touched the Lighthouse mark, and selected Appraisal.
"Appraisal fee: 1 survival point. Confirm?"
"Confirm."
[Damaged alloy briefcase, from the *Hellraiser* world, mainly made of TA titanium alloy, weighing 10KG.]
Benjamin took out the Ice Crystal Ball again and tried it. It prompted that it required 940 survival points.
He chose to refuse because he already knew what it was. The appraisal was only useful for transactions within the Lighthouse.
After studying the items in the lighthouse, Benjamin returned to his room in reality and took out his phone to photograph a century-old ginseng.
'This phone' s resolution is too blurry, and looks like I need to get a new one.'
After much effort, he only managed to take three reasonably decent pictures.
Although he still had the old man' s million dollars in his personal space, Benjamin planned to take care of everything else while he was out selling the ginseng.
Benjamin opened an "Omniscient Browser" application, but before he could even interact with it, the webpage automatically redirected to an art website from his past browsing history.
He glanced at it, but had no time to pay attention to that now.
He immediately closed the webpage and started searching for forums about ginseng trading.
And then he posted the pictures he had taken, claiming they were from his grandfather' s generation, and asked for prices.
Next, he just had to wait for a buyer to take the bait.
Benjamin continued browsing the news of this world.
The technological level of Deep Blue Star was similar to his past life, but the history was somewhat different.
The Crimson Moon Federation, where he lived, had been unified for over five hundred years and was the most powerful country in the world.
Benjamin opened the Moon Ring News Network again:
'Seven renowned physicists from the Crimson Moon Academy of Sciences have gone insane and been admitted to a mental hospital.'
'Police report on a major bizarre homicide in Kapo City: 47 dead, 0 injured, the murderer disappeared mysteriously.'
'A 300-meter-high tower was built at the peak of the Sennan Ecological Zone. The whole network calls for its demolition, criticizing it for damaging the environment.'
'Heshan District in Kasten City has been blocked, suspected of discovering an unknown influenza virus.'
"The leakage of a dangerous chemicals truck in Donbas City has caused thousands of casualties, and emergency rescue is still underway."
…
These news items looked normal, but the frequency and severity of the incidents were far too high.
Benjamin felt something was amiss.
At least, he knew there were definitely many lighthouse guardians in this world, but he lacked the strength to investigate further from the shadows before making any plans.
Benjamin didn't dare search for keywords related to lighthouses or lighthouse guardians on his phone.
He' d heard that some search records were monitored.
Who knew if searching would expose him?
Benjamin continued browsing the news about this world, and before he knew it, it was 9 PM.
The sound of a door opening interrupted his browsing.
Snap! The main living room light switched on, its white light streaming into the bedroom through the crack under the door.
'Mother should be home by now!' The thought flashed through Benjamin' s mind.
His heart inexplicably tightened.
"Boy, come out for dinner. I worked overtime at the factory today, so it' s a bit late. I bought you some fried rice with eggs."
His mother's slightly tired voice rang out.
The sound of running water and chopsticks rubbing could be heard outside.
"Okay, Mom."
Benjamin answered instinctively upon hearing the voice, then paused, startled.
He felt no distance or awkwardness in that "Mom," as if it were the natural thing in the world.
Benjamin had been wondering how to face this newfound family.
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and calmed his anxious heart.
Benjamin put down his phone, pulled on the trench coat hanging on the hanger to conceal his muscular physique, and then pushed open the door and went out.
In front of the living room sofa was a long, black table with red trim, on which sat two plastic bags containing fried rice.
Benjamin walked over, his eyes scanning the room, and spotted his mother washing dishes in the kitchen.
"Why are you out so early today? Usually..."
Hearing the noise, his mother turned and looked at Benjamin with surprise.