Chapter 65: The Forty-Eight Techniques of the Evil Eye

Over the next two days, Jenn devoted all his attention to studying the application of the "Evil Eye" spell. Though it was merely a support spell and lacked any formidable offensive power, he found great enjoyment in this pursuit. Part of the reason was that he discovered just how practical this auxiliary magic could be; another part was that he needed something to occupy the idle hours. After all, in his overarching plan, the dungeon was always meant to operate from the shadows, and Jenn had no desire to draw too much attention to himself. He would much rather leave these troublesome affairs to the gray dwarves, and as for Kardec’s side, that was none of his concern. That dwarven governor did not have the courage to cause trouble for Jenn in the face of a human invasion; if he dared, Jenn certainly wouldn’t mind causing a certain “accidental collapse” in Brandon Stone Fortress, rendering that supposedly impregnable shell utterly useless.

Of course, it was undeniable that the "Book of All Spells" was also a source of Jenn’s fascination.

Players’ enthusiasm was not to be underestimated, especially when rewards were at stake. Before long, Jenn discovered two other uses for the "Evil Eye."

With the "Evil Eye," Jenn could open the map and cast the spell on any location he wished. In this way, he could see across mountains and barriers, observing everything occurring at the marked site. However, unlike before, although this spell could transcend spatial boundaries, it could not see through objects and only allowed him to observe a small area; this use also consumed the most mana. Under normal circumstances, Jenn could sustain the "Evil Eye" for a minute with 50 mana points, but if he wanted to lift the fog of war at a distant location and peer through it, it would last only five seconds. The larger the area and the longer the duration, the more mana was consumed. In fact, among the three spells Jenn currently possessed, this was the only one whose consumption outstripped his regeneration rate. Thus, when using it, Jenn had to carefully manage his mana reserves.

The fourth function of the "Evil Eye" was its ability to search for all sorts of mysterious items. Jenn stumbled upon this use when he inadvertently cast the spell on Vilna. But this was understandable; though he was the dungeon lord, ordinary magical items meant nothing to him. His demonic heritage ensured he was stronger than those adorned with belts of giant strength or circlets of wisdom, even if he faced them stark naked.

The main reason, of course, was that as an underappreciated demon lord’s son, Jenn did not have the luxury or spare funds to buy himself enough magical equipment for show. In fact, the magical weapon he possessed had nearly bankrupted him; that he arrived in the Underdark with barely a thousand gold coins showed just how tough life had been for him in the demon realm.

Vilna, as a dark elf, was far more meticulous than Jenn. She invested nearly all her earnings in magical gear and weaponry—after all, in the Underdark, strength was the only safeguard. Because of this, when Jenn saw the dark elf enveloped in dazzling magical auras, he finally gained a direct understanding of the fourth function of the "Evil Eye."

However, Jenn could not combine these functions. It was like the different modes of a radar: active, passive, infrared, electromagnetic, and so forth. Only by switching to the correct mode could you accurately detect what you sought.

To illustrate: if Jenn entered a heavily guarded location, he could first activate the "God’s Eye View" of the "Evil Eye" to grasp the general layout, then use the "See-Through" mode to understand the passages and structures, switch to "Soul" mode to check how many enemies were inside, and finally, employ "Mana Detection" to search for potentially hidden magical traps, equipment, or weapons, judging their power by the intensity of their magical glow.

But as for the spell’s fifth and final function, Jenn was completely at a loss.

Over these two days, he had tried every conceivable approach, but could not uncover any clue to this fifth function. He ran numerous experiments, which only served to make his command of the "Evil Eye" even more adept, but the final feature eluded him. Still, Jenn was certain there was something he had missed. The quest clearly specified five uses, so there had to be five.

He once speculated that the fifth function might be akin to hypnosis, but after experimenting on Nibix and Vilna, that did not seem to be the case. He tried other methods, but so far, all had failed.

At last, Jenn resolved to seek the wisdom of others.

He entered the Great Library, where the first thing to greet him was a wall of tall, black bookshelves. They were packed with all manner of books, neatly organized, looking no different from any ordinary library. Yet Jenn knew well that the system’s library was anything but mundane; it not only collected knowledge from across the multiverse but would even alter itself to suit its owner’s needs. If Jenn so desired, any book he pulled from any shelf would inevitably be exactly the one he needed most at that moment.

Since building the Great Library, Jenn would sometimes come here in his leisure, reminiscing about tales from his own world. He even found himself “accidentally” stumbling upon a few beautifully bound gaming magazines on the dust-laden shelves. It was as if the library itself knew that, back on Earth, the once highly anticipated virtual reality technology had finally been realized, and the world’s first fully immersive holographic game, "Dragon Soul Continent," was about to be released. Occasionally, Jenn would marvel at how things had changed—had he not crossed into this world, he would likely have been one of those donning a VR helmet to conquer new worlds.

But after that, Jenn seldom browsed such things anymore. The reason was simple: when you’re in a place with no computers, no television, and no internet, yet spend your days reading about technological revolutions, it becomes a cruel punishment—a kind of wishful torment. Even if you managed to get your hands on an Apple 9S here, what good would it do if you couldn’t charge it?

A person must always look forward. Rather than pine for new games he could never hope to play, it was far more practical—and entertaining—to devise ways to torment the adventurers who dared set foot in his dungeon.

Jenn casually pulled a book off the shelf and glanced through it, but quickly tossed "A Happy Introduction: How to Enslave for Seventeen Years With Ease" back where he found it. He picked up another, "The Pink Book: Deluxe Group Edition," leafed through it, then returned it as well. Clearly, even the Great Library was at a loss as to what Jenn truly needed right now, which explained the current chaos.

But there was always a way.

With that thought, Jenn walked deeper into the library and soon spotted Iris’s silhouette. She was seated, hunched over a massive book with a black cover, engrossed in study. Jenn had to admit that Iris’s enthusiasm for magical learning was precisely why he had been able to acquire new spells so quickly. After all, within the system, only units stationed in the Great Library could begin their research. Thanks to her half-vampire constitution, Iris could sit here reading for days on end without food, drink, or rest, unless Jenn or Enoya called for her. Otherwise, she would remain here, diligently studying—a heroic unit so industrious that Jenn was often moved to tears.

Compared to those in the game who would only spend a few hours in the library if they were well-fed, well-rested, in a good mood, and sufficiently entertained, Iris was truly the epitome of dedication.

“Ah, L-Lord Jenn!”

Hearing footsteps, Iris looked up in Jenn’s direction. Upon seeing him, her expression changed at once. She hastily put down her book and stood respectfully, a blush creeping over her pale cheeks.

“Is there…something you need…?”

Her voice was barely above a whisper, which was understandable. After all, she had been kissed forcefully by Jenn in front of her father, then made to strip and return to the dungeon in that state. Fortunately, the dungeon was sparsely populated; though she had been on edge the entire way, she had not been discovered. Even so, the trauma lingered, and it was only natural that she now blushed and lowered her head whenever she saw Jenn.

“Still pursuing magical research?”

Jenn glanced at the spellbook on the table. Iris gave the faintest of nods in response.

“Yes, Lord Jenn. Your library’s collection is truly extensive—it’s been immensely helpful to my magical studies…”

“This book as well?”

At that, Jenn suddenly reached out and pulled from beneath the spellbook a palm-sized volume with a yellow cover. Seeing it, Iris’s face turned ashen.

“This... no... I…”

“It seems you have indeed been studying quite diligently.”

Jenn glanced at the nameless cover, a knowing smirk flickering on his lips as he fixed his gaze on Iris. She, meanwhile, was crimson with embarrassment, left speechless—like a student caught hiding comics by a teacher.

Seeing her shy expression, Jenn’s heart stirred. He reached out, drawing Iris close by her slender waist. She was completely unprepared, letting out a cry as she fell into his arms.

A moment later, they parted. Iris’s bright eyes were now veiled with mist, dazed and unfocused, her hands pressed gently against Jenn’s chest in token resistance—though it was all but negligible.

How interesting.

Seeing Iris before him, the corners of Jenn’s mouth curled in a strange smile. Under his seduction, Iris was gradually becoming addicted; clearly, the demonic imprint deep within her was already taking root. With a bit more nurturing, he would surely be able to seize complete control over her soul.

But then, what would happen if he used the "Evil Eye" right now?

With that thought, golden flames flared in Jenn’s eyes as he activated the "Evil Eye." He was startled by what he saw.

This is…

Under the scrutiny of the "Evil Eye," a panel appeared beside Iris—not the character information he was used to, but something entirely unfamiliar.

[Iris (Current Qualities)]

[Maiden (Before you stands a delicate, unspoiled blossom)]
[Self-restraint (Even in the face of temptation, she can suppress her deepest desires)]
[Resistance (To this maiden, you have not yet earned her affection)]
[Devotion (For a higher purpose, she is willing to sacrifice everything)]
[Receptivity (She does not reject pleasure, whether of soul or body)]
[Sensitive Constitution (Even the simplest touch sends her reeling, easily lost in sensation)]

Seeing this, Jenn smiled.

So, the final function of the "Evil Eye" had at last revealed itself.