The Eldritch Files

’Got some work to do?’

In the Disaster Management Bureau D7 Laboratory, Pot Lid Head, dressed in a prison uniform, walked barefoot on the smooth concrete floor of his cell. The cell, at least one hundred square meters, was filled with all sorts of visually striking sculptures and oil paintings, along with some bold, avant-garde works.

His favorite thing to do was to wander silently among these works of art, twirling lightly on his tiptoes.

The sound of somewhat hoarse music drifted through the empty room: ”So many wine glasses floating in the air...”

This was the most ordinary music he had ever heard.

The music he used to listen to was the kind the mentor and his apprentice had never heard before—just piano music or strange, roaring sounds.

Meanwhile, in the room next to his, researchers were marveling at the data on the screen. ”He’s so close!”

”Teacher, his condition is astonishingly good right now. With just a little more, he’ll be ready for the next phase of the experiment.”

”This... How was all this possible?”

”...”

”This test subject... he could have been declared a failure.”

Across from him, the old researcher—blind in one eye, with one ear and half his nose cut off—also wore an expression of awe.

”To combine various mysterious substances through twenty-three surgeries—this is a grand goal, built upon a near-perfect equation. If successful, we can create a miracle where physical modification affects the Mysterious Domain!”

”It’s just a shame that not many people in Qinggang have the vision to invest in our surgery. The Hidden School doesn’t believe in our perfect equation.”

”Back then, the two of us went to give Mr. Buddha a gift, and after much begging, he finally agreed to see us. But in the end, he just told us to do more theoretical research and kicked us out. The Qinggang Council was even more reluctant to provide funding...”

”But so what? Look!”

He said excitedly, ”Not only have we completed the first stage of the procedure, but the second stage is about to begin!”

The student whispered, ”Um, Teacher, maybe we can’t blame them. After all, we’ve had quite a few failed experiments...”

”That’s because a perfect equation requires a perfect vessel!”

The teacher chewed him out. ”Before this perfect treasure was sent to us, the subjects could only withstand three surgeries at most before completely losing all human emotion.”

”And without human emotions, it’s impossible to perfectly bear the Mysterious Power, do you understand?”

”Once a person completely loses their emotions, even if they’re still breathing, they’re no longer a person. They’re just a tool.”

”Until we met him. Not only did his family secretly promise that we could perform any surgery on him we wanted, without regard for his life, but most importantly, he’s different. He has undergone seven surgeries and still possesses human emotions and a sense of aesthetics...”

”...even if that sense of aesthetics is a bit difficult for others to appreciate!”

”...”

’Thinking of the special prisoner codenamed ”Jack the Ripper,” the student found the whole situation bizarre. It wasn’t just that the prisoner’s hobbies were hard to understand; his family was just as incomprehensible.’

’On one hand, whenever his family came to see him, no matter how difficult his requests were or how expensive the artworks he wanted, his family would always find a way to satisfy him.’

’Just one of the art pieces in his cell would be enough for him and his teacher to live comfortably if they ever had to go on the run.’

’But on the other hand, his family didn’t seem to mind at all what kind of surgeries he was undergoing...’

”But he...”

The student stammered, ”His emotions were fading rapidly a while ago, too. Even though he’s better now, we still don’t know why he recovered. If we start the second stage of the surgery like this, won’t it...”

”It doesn’t matter!”

The teacher said decisively, ”As long as he still has emotions, it proves he can withstand the perfect equation!”

”We just need to wait, wait until...”

”...”

He was about to give a rough timeframe when his eyes suddenly widened, his face pressing almost to the screen.

On the monitor, the curve that had been rising steadily began to climb slowly upward again, gradually pointing toward a shocking height.

Both of them stared, their mouths agape, speechless for a long time.

Just then, a tapping sound suddenly came from the glass wall next door.

Jack the Ripper’s polite voice rang out, a hint of anticipation even audible within it:

”I’d like to request leave!”

”...”

”This...”

The old researcher, of course, wouldn’t refuse his request for leave. Even if he didn’t give permission, the subject could get out anyway. Moreover, the subject’s identity made the researcher afraid to restrain him by force.

But since this concerned his perfect equation, he mustered his courage and asked, ”Your condition has been excellent after your last few leaves. So, if you don’t mind my asking...”

”What do you do when you go out?”

”...”

On Jack the Ripper’s side, there was only silence. Just as this silence was becoming unnervingly tense, the test subject—who in theory should have no emotions left—suddenly replied. His voice even carried a sense of uplifting gentleness:

”I’m doing something very meaningful!”

”...”

”...”

”Oh, my God...”

At the same time, as the news spread, a certain laboratory had just begun to take shape on the outskirts of Qinggang City.

Rong Qiyue looked at the messy files on his desk, feeling as though his head was about to split open.

His laboratory was about to be established at an unnaturally fast pace. He was on the verge of becoming the leader of the Hidden School’s new generation, the one who had made the greatest leap forward. Even the celebratory champagne was already chilling in an ice bucket.