Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 2375: Chapter 2376: Serial Number

Compared to the deathly stillness of the mist-covered sea, the world beneath the waves was teeming with life.

Schools of fish densely swam like a woven net, graceful jellyfish danced, corals that were red enough to seem like they were bleeding, and various unnamed but distinctly featured marine creatures together formed a richly diverse underwater ecosystem.

At this moment, this vibrant and colorful seabed welcomed some rare visitors.

A group of humans shrouded in a strange luminescent force field.

”We have returned to the territory of that suspected purple giant beast cub of the Shiz,” said Angel while letting Toby sense the surrounding scents.

After a while, Toby chirped a few times at Angel.

”There are no signs of that purple beast having returned,” Angel translated Toby’s words.

Nis nodded: ”It’s good it hasn’t come back, and since its scent still lingers here, we don’t have to worry about other sea beasts invading. Let’s wait here until noon.”

With those words, Nis casually took out a bone recliner from his spatial equipment, threw it on a suitable slope of the seabed, and lounged lazily, looking completely at ease.

”It’s more than half an hour until noon,” Angel turned to Reynaud: ”I need to confirm again, is it true that the ocean currents will change at noon as you mentioned?”

Reynaud pondered: ”The currents don’t change every noon, but to find the location of the laboratory, we can only confirm it by the change in ocean currents.”

The reason they came to the seafloor was to wait for the changes in the currents.

According to Reynaud, the laboratory is hidden somewhere on the seabed deep within the Mist Belt, and it’s also mobile, so to pinpoint its coordinates, they have to observe the currents at noon.

Angel turned to Nausicaa, and she nodded lightly at Angel.

Nausicaa had been to the laboratory before, so since she’s certain, it must be true.

”Using the change in currents for positioning is quite interesting,” Nis said lazily from the recliner, ”Speaking of which, since Ferro hasn’t returned for so many days, he should have found the laboratory by now, right? I wonder what his situation is like.”

”Should we go back and ask Witch Maya?”

Angel: ”Witch Maya has already left the Wilderness of Dreams.”

Nis: ”Alright, never mind then.”

Angel ignored Nis and looked at Reynaud: ”Tell us about the specific situation in the laboratory. How many people are there inside? What are their roles? Also, what kind of combat forces are in the laboratory?”

Reynaud had never even told Nausicaa this information before because the more one knew, the more likely they were to suffer persecution.

But now it was Angel asking, an Official Wizard close to the True Knowledge Level. Even if he confronted the armed forces of the laboratory, he should still be able to handle it calmly.

With that thought, Reynaud finally began to speak, slowly revealing the details of the laboratory.

As Reynaud narrated, everyone gradually learned about the basic situation of the laboratory.

The laboratory initially had over three hundred people, one-third of whom were staff members, while the others were experimental subjects like Reynaud.

In the eyes of the formal employees in the laboratory, experimental subjects were not considered peers at all but consumables.

Although they would occasionally teach them the Guiding Method and even some simple tricks, it was not to truly guide their talents; it was purely to diversify experiments and increase success rates.

Moreover, those who did not reach the required Mental Power Value but forcibly practiced the Guiding Method generally went mad and died. This led to the deaths of more and more subjects.

Over years of attrition, the number of experimental subjects dwindled, leaving only nine survivors. These nine were entirely tools or long swords in the hands of the laboratory, sent to complete various tasks, including assassination, material gathering, and slave procurement.

”They completely used you all as assassins,” Nis sighed, ”But why did they procure slaves, for more experiments?”

Reynaud shook his head and uttered a heavy word: ”Ritual.”

Nis was momentarily surprised but quickly understood: ”Oh, almost forgot about that. The Ceremony in the Earth Cavern on the Revelation Continent, I suppose that was the laboratory’s doing?”

Reynaud nodded silently.

Angel fell silent for a moment, then said, ”Go on.”

Reynaud took a deep breath and continued: ”Among the nine who survived, I am one of them. To set us apart, they left tattoo marks on the left side of our faces as identifiers. All left faces are marked with an X, indicating an experimental product, while the right faces are numbered from 1 to 9. My number is 1.”

This was also the reason why Reynaud referred to himself as Number 1 during the New Star Contest.

Though these nine became weapons for the laboratory people, serving as their dogs, they were still not treasured.

Over the years, four more people consecutively died.

Among the remaining five, years of brainwashing led them to not regard themselves as individuals, only Reynaud clung to his desire for freedom.

Nis: ”He mentioned before that you had attempted to escape, and the traces left on Sideromist Isle during their pursuit of you still remain.”

Reynaud: ”Yes.”

Nis: ”Knowing full well you had intentions of escape, they didn’t punish you severely? They even allowed you to maintain your individuality, letting you participate in the New Star Contest?”

Reynaud lowered his gaze: ”I don’t know why, but they indeed didn’t use harsher methods.”

In fact, when Reynaud expressed his unwillingness to procure slaves, those above even agreed, later assigning him tasks related to gathering materials and information.

Angel: ”Perhaps it’s because you are special.”

Special? Reynaud looked at Angel, not understanding his meaning.

Angel did not elaborate, but Nis and even Nausicaa immediately grasped Angel’s implication.

”John’s Retribution,” Nausicaa murmured the phrase, which was the collective perception of all participants regarding Reynaud during the New Star Contest.

Reynaud: ”Ah?”

Nausicaa shook her head: ”It’s nothing, continue.”

”Among the five experimental subjects remaining, apart from me, others might pose an obstruction. However, their strength isn’t significant and shouldn’t pose a threat to you, but you need to pay attention to ’X3.’ Her Soul Arms can control sea beasts; though she cannot yet control Official Wizard Level sea beasts, some massive sea creatures can still cause devastating attacks in the sea.”

Angel wasn’t too concerned since he wasn’t afraid of facing the suspected Shiz descendant, let alone other non-Wizard Level sea beasts.

Nis, on the other hand, was quite intrigued by X3. He had heard that Soul Arms could do more than just weaponize and was now more intrigued by their different functions, especially controlling sea beasts.

”Apart from our five experimental subjects, the rest are formal members of the laboratory. I haven’t counted their exact number, but the highest number I’ve seen tattooed on their faces is 99.”

Assuming one number linked to one role, there are at least 99 staff members in the laboratory.

”The smaller the number, the higher the status in the laboratory. Those beyond 30 are generally non-combat personnel focused on research, though they have some combat skills.”

”Meanwhile, those numbered below 30 are significantly stronger. I haven’t witnessed their specific combat, but once a mutated Blood Food sea lion attacked the laboratory, Number 30 took care of it in one move, something far beyond my capability.”

Which means that at least anyone below Number 30 is vastly superior in strength to Reynaud.