Chapter 4: Anchor Point, Status, Nightmare

【【The Man Who Talks to Dogs】intelligence investigation completed】

【You witnessed a bizarre scene: SAN Value -5, Spirit Vision +2】

【Reward obtained: Skill 'Anchor Point', Ancient God's Bronze Coin ×1, $50】

When Roger returned to his tent, the system's notification arrived belatedly.

He didn't rush to check the reward; instead, he nervously scanned his surroundings, then zipped up the tent.

To investigate this intelligence, he moved his tent from the original park to near Clay Street.

But here, everything was unfamiliar—he had to be extra careful.

When Roger first became a homeless man, he didn't know better and was robbed and pickpocketed several times. Later, after reflection, he devised the Three No-Leak Principles.

The Three No-Leak Principles are: don't leak wealth, don't leak medicine, don't leak your ass.

Those who know, know.

Seeing the surroundings quiet and no suspicious figures around, Roger sat on his mat and checked the system's reward.

First, the skill.

【Anchor Point】

【Skill Description: This is the core of your survival in the Cthulhu world and your best means of preserving sanity.】

【Skill Effect: Whenever someone genuinely trusts and acknowledges you, you gain bonuses to SAN Value, Physical Function, or skills.】

【Existing Anchor Points: 0/2】

"Genuinely trusts and acknowledges me?" Roger was baffled, not understanding what the system meant.

Then he looked at the 【Existing Anchor Points】 field and noticed the 0/2 number could be clicked to view.

The result…

【Currently developable Anchor Points: Juan Jia Xiya, Jose】

"What the fuck!"

"Fine, Juan can be an Anchor Point—but why can Jose be one too?" Roger's scalp prickled, the implications chilling.

Damn it!

He didn't want a madman and a lame dog to become his Anchor Points!

Why couldn't he develop a woman with big tits into an Anchor Point?

That's unfair!

But no matter what, the system remained silent; Roger could only reluctantly accept it.

"Looks like the prophecy came true—I really need to visit Juan more often."

Roger lay on his clothes and pulled up his personal panel again.

Due to changes in his sanity and SAN Value, his personal attributes had shifted slightly.

【Roger West】

【Age: 28】

【Title: The One Who Knows Nothing】

【Occupation: Homeless Man】

【Status: Edge of the Rift (You stand on a dangerous brink; occasional auditory hallucinations or illusions occur, but Physical Function +10%)】

【Spirit Vision: 11】

【SAN Value: 5/20 (Daily recovery: 1 point)】

【Physical Function: 5 (Status bonus +10%)】

【Skills: Scavenging, Electrical Repair】

Because his SAN Value was too low and surpassed by his Spirit Vision by six points, his status had changed from Unstable Cognition to Edge of the Rift, though he felt no immediate difference—instead, the drop in SAN Value granted him an extra 10% Physical Function bonus.

That meant his actual Physical Function was now 5.5.

"So it's true—once a man descends into madness, he grows stronger."

"Child, do you want power? Earned with SAN Value." Roger clenched his fist.

He suspected the Status field contained other types of descriptions and bonuses.

Though he considered testing whether reducing his sanity to zero could turn him into a superhuman, he thought better of it—too dangerous.

"But exercising might directly increase Physical Function."

After a full day of research, he determined this attribute was an aggregate of strength, stamina, and endurance—higher values meant better physical fitness.

Thinking of this, he began doing planks on the spot.

He swore it was the longest minute of his life.

But compared to before, he could hold it longer, and his waist and abdomen ached less.

This was undoubtedly good news—only a strong body could endure the miserable life of a homeless man.

He then followed up with a hundred sit-ups, fifty squats, and twenty push-ups.

Only when sweat soaked his chest and his clothes clung sticky did he finally stop.

Afterward, Roger checked his panel again—Physical Function had indeed risen by 0.1.

Though small, it was sustainable daily.

"This feels great!"

No wonder fitness is addictive—watching your body improve, muscles grow day by day, it's deeply intoxicating.

After all, in real life, few things offer such direct positive feedback as fitness.

For the first time, Roger thanked the system's gift.

Then, as he rested, he turned his gaze to the final reward.

The Bronze coin of the Ancient God.

According to the system prompt, this coin can be used in the Ancient God Pinball Machine to draw various rewards.

But he must first go to the Jie Ji Ting and find a pinball machine to perform the draw.

"Well, I didn't expect the system to be surprisingly grounded in reality."

After deciding on tomorrow's itinerary, Roger closed his eyes and fell into sleep.

……

Rustle-rustle.

After an unknown length of time, Roger in his sleep seemed to hear someone whispering beside his ear.

Then it felt as if a snake crawled over his body—its smooth, cold, inhuman skin spread from his arm to his calves, then piled up on his chest, making his breathing heavier.

Roger struggled desperately, stepped forward—but accidentally missed his footing!

He snapped his eyes open, looked at his chest, and found everything inside the tent unchanged, still shrouded in darkness.

Only his back was soaked in cold sweat.

"Huh."

He placed his arm over his forehead, forced his eyes shut, refused to think of those terrible dreams, and drifted back to sleep.

Yet that voice seemed to echo endlessly in his ears—like the Ancient God's murmur, like rats chittering, like Juan's babbling.

"Jose, I'm sorry to you."

"Jose, please don't die."

"I'm not Jose!"

Roger sat bolt upright from the tent, shouting.

To his surprise, daylight was bright.

Warm sunlight seeped through the thin fabric of the tent and shone upon his skin.

"So it was just a nightmare." Roger rubbed his temples, thought for a moment, and decided to establish the Anchor Point as soon as possible.

"Damn, I knew the Cthulhu system was unreliable!"

The goodwill from last night had vanished with the nightmare; Roger tore several pages from Tongzi's household register in his mind before crawling out of the tent.

"It's already 10:30."

He checked his phone and realized it was far too late to claim breakfast.

Fortunately, he had already received fifty dollars in reward yesterday—the bill was hidden in his underwear pocket, pressed against his skin.

"First, wash my face."

Roger slung the bag containing his toiletries over his shoulder and followed the sidewalk to a public restroom.

He skillfully washed his face and hair with cold water, then dried his hair halfway with a towel.

Summer had this advantage: hair didn't need long to dry naturally.

In winter, he would never dare wash his hair with cold water—if he caught a cold, it would be the start of another Execution Line.

"What should I eat today? McDonald's or KFC?"

Roger never imagined that after half a lifetime of drifting, he'd still be drooling over these two brands just like in childhood.

But this was already a luxury meal beyond the reach of a homeless person.

After all, many could only afford a cheap one-dollar pizza.

Thinking of this, he straightened his clothes, tried to look less disheveled, then followed the nearest KFC sign toward it.