Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 2384: Chapter 2385: Original Fluid

After No. 03 finished speaking, her beautiful eyes quietly looked at Ferro.

Ferro was momentarily speechless.

It wasn’t that he was enchanted by No. 03, but he suddenly realized that he might have acted too impulsively just now, inadvertently exposing some of their situation.

”I...” Ferro looked somewhat embarrassedly at Angel and Nis.

Nis waved his hand, too lazy to speak. Angel didn’t say anything either. Although Ferro had exposed some information, which was a bit of a misstep, upon careful consideration, it might not necessarily be a bad thing.

This group of people suddenly showing up would raise suspicion in anyone.

It’s not that they necessarily had to explain their intentions to No. 03, but by letting No. 03 fill in the blanks herself, she might have some inkling.

With some understanding, communication would have more room than before.

With this in mind, Angel spoke: ”Do you think we came here just for a simple apology and compensation?”

The questioning from ’Sanders’ made No. 03 frown. At first, she didn’t understand Sanders’ meaning, but looking at the three people standing across from her, she seemed to have realized something... Sanders even came personally, possibly indicating that what they discovered was more than what she imagined, not just the altar, nor solely involving Ferro. Otherwise, there was no need for both Sanders and Nis to come together.

What else did they discover? Something that warranted Sanders, a figure standing at the top of the Southern Domain Wizard World, to come?

Remembering that Ferro had previously mentioned that the base’s combat personnel had gone to ”The Nest”... Could it be that they discovered the ultimate goal of the base?

While No. 03 was again lost in her thoughts, Sanders spoke again: ”We can discuss other things later. Let’s continue talking about the organ transplantation and soul study you mentioned, and the purpose of building this laboratory in the Southern Domain.”

No. 03 looked up at Sanders, sensing that his questions might be hinting at something... Perhaps they really had discovered the ultimate goal.

”What exactly does Illusion Demon want to know?”

”Everything.” Angel paused, then continued: ”Including the sacrifices you conducted in the Southern Domain, the people you persecuted, your research, what’s hidden in the soul, and... The Nest.”

After Angel finished speaking, his tone deliberately carried a hint of incompleteness.

On the surface, No. 03 showed nothing, but inwardly she sighed deeply. Based on Sanders’ words, she already felt her guess was correct; they indeed had a lot of intelligence on the base.

No wonder even Sanders came. Because once what he mentioned was exposed, it would cause a storm in the Southern Domain.

And from Sanders’ tone, it seemed they grasped even more.

After a moment of silence, No. 03 finally spoke: ”I can only disclose content not restricted by the oath.”

”That’s fine.” Angel’s eyes held a trace of mockery, his face displaying an expression of ’go ahead and perform.’

No. 03’s throat choked up, but she didn’t dare to act rashly. After calming herself down, she said: ”What Illusion Demon wants to know, much of it stems from our research. So, I’ll start with the research. ’Organ Transplantation and Soul Compatibility’ is not a project of the Lacey Association but a collaborative research with forces from the Quest World...”

As No. 03 recounted, a corner of the secrets of the base was revealed.

This research of ’Organ Transplantation and Soul Compatibility’ was actually a collaborative project obtained by Lacey Association from a certain soul force in the Quest World through a certain event.

The Lacey Association provided researchers, the laboratory base, and various materials for the research, while that soul force, through the feedback of live sacrifices, handed over the core original liquid of this research topic to the base laboratory.

The specific name of the original liquid involved soul language, so No. 03 couldn’t directly tell Angel.

For convenience of communication, let’s call it — the Soul Arms Original Liquid.

To obtain the Soul Arms original liquid, specific ceremony live sacrifices were necessary. If such sacrifices were discovered in the Origin World, the entire Lacey Association would face consequences, so the research project was delegated to the base laboratory in the Four Realms of Wizards.

”In order to obtain the original liquid and continue the research of the Soul Arms, live sacrifices must be conducted.” No. 03 calmly accepted the term Soul Arms, even feeling it quite fitting: ”The live sacrifice ceremony is so simple that it does not require the involvement of official wizards, so we let others perform it.”

”However, it was never our intention to disturb the Southern Domain Wizard World, so even in live sacrifices, we targeted no civilians but purchased slaves through transactions.”

Nis sneered: ”So to you, slaves are not human lives?”

”...At the very least, we didn’t wantonly break the rules.”

Nis: ”As long as it involves live sacrifices, it’s breaking the rules.”

No. 03 shrugged: ”If that’s what you believe, there’s nothing I can do.”

Nis wanted to say more, but Angel interrupted their exchange: ”You can argue later; continue, Giselle.”

No. 03: ”That’s all I know about the live sacrifices.”

Angel: ”How many ceremonies have been held in total? Where were they located?”

No. 03 shook her head: ”That’s the operation of the subordinates, I haven’t looked into it, but every time the sacrifice yields enough Soul Arms original liquid for us to research for one to two years. We’ve been researching this topic for over forty years.”

In other words, at least twenty sacrifices were held.

Each time involved the live sacrifice of more than a hundred people. Even if they were all slaves, this meant over two thousand lives were lost.

Although spread over forty years, the number doesn’t seem large, especially in this era of cruelty; nevertheless, it’s ultimately a heinous event.

Angel took a deep breath, suppressing the disgust in his eyes: ”Continue.”

No. 03: ”With the original liquid, the next step is to inject it into the corresponding organs to study compatibility.”

Before No. 03 could finish speaking, Nis couldn’t help but interrupt: ”The soul is in the Land of the Soul and isn’t much connected to the physical body. How do the biological organs relate to the soul?”

No. 03: ”This falls under the secrets protected by the oath, so I cannot divulge it. However, I can give an analogy: you can think of the organs as the vessels that carry the Soul Arms original liquid. Once the corresponding organ is transplanted, and the bloodline is connected, the Soul Arms can naturally resonate with the Land of the Soul.”

”But, this is just the superficial effect; I cannot disclose any deeper research.”

Even though No. 03’s explanation wasn’t very deep, the conclusion alone overturned everyone’s beliefs. Naturally, the one most impacted was Nis.

Nonetheless, this research that subverted previous concepts also provided Nis with significant inspiration.

He was now somewhat grateful that he heeded Dororo’s advice to come here.

Angel: ”If we want to carry the original liquid of the Soul Arms, ordinary organs might not be able to bear it. What is the source of these organs?”

As soon as he finished speaking, Ferro immediately looked at No. 03. This sudden reaction confirmed once again that the source of some extraordinary organs might have connections with Ferro.

”Organs must be extraordinary organs. Most of them are extraordinary creatures hunted by combat personnel outside. There are also some bought through certain trade channels.”

Ferro: ”The so-called extraordinary creatures you mentioned being hunted, does that include wizards?”

No. 03: ”Which wizard is Wizard Ferro referring to?”

Ferro did not answer immediately, instead, he turned to look at Angel.

Seeing Angel nod, Ferro then said in a deep voice: ”Was the Red Butterfly Witch killed by you?”

”The Red Butterfly Witch?” No. 03 looked puzzled, ”Who is she?”

”Ginny Watson, the ’Red Butterfly’.”

When No. 03 heard this name, she still showed no reaction: ”Are you sure she is a wizard from the Southern Domain? I don’t have this name in the information I’ve collected.”

Ferro activated the Veritaserum, and No. 03 did not resist deliberately. Through the identification of the Veritaserum, No. 03 was not lying.

She truly did not recognize the Red Butterfly Witch.

At this time, a knocking sound echoed in the silent space, attracting everyone’s attention.

The knocking sound was made by Angel using a short staff to tap the table.

As the knocking sound fell, No. 03 saw a picture in front of her.

The background in the picture was a pitch-black Earth Cavern. In the center of the cavern was an altar, around which were many rectangular stone platforms, with numerous containers and various organs stored inside them.

The most eye-catching organ was a woman’s arm contained in a long liquid container.

Next to this organ stood three people in cloaks with tattoos on their faces. One of them, a person with a side face tattoo labeled No. 0, reached out a hand, the palm touching the wall of the container. A secretive glimmer emanated from the point of contact, and at the same time, a glowing symbol appeared on the back of the cloaked person’s hand.

The entire picture was not only clear but also complete.

When No. 03 saw this picture, her eyes widened completely.

Although she hadn’t been to the altar, this picture perfectly reproduced the situation of the altar, and that glowing symbol was exactly the script of the soul force in the Quest World!

She even recognized the three people among them!

The reason No. 03 was shocked was that she realized this was not a recent sacrifice. From some details, this was the sacrifice of thirteen years ago.

The fact that Sanders had completely reproduced the scene from thirteen years ago, how was this possible?

Could it be the ”Eye of Truth”?

The Eye of Truth is an advanced ability of True Sight, which can see the remaining information in time and space by consuming expensive casting materials.

Not to mention this is a third-level spell, even if you do see some remaining information in time and space, it is usually vague, and even after analysis, it is difficult to clear up the picture.

But Sanders’ picture was not only clear, it felt almost like it was observed onsite.

How on earth did he achieve this?

Amid shock, No. 03 also somewhat understood why this group suddenly came to visit. Perhaps they had some power that allowed them to see some events of the past.

If this conclusion is true... then her previous speculation that Sanders knew a lot of information is also highly possible.

”This is a picture from thirteen years ago. May I, in my ignorance, ask where the Illusion Demon saw this from?” No. 03 couldn’t believe it and, after hesitating several times, couldn’t help but ask.

After a brief silence, Sanders’ low and hoarse voice echoed in No. 03’s ear: ”Why don’t you take a guess? Guess where I saw it from and guess what else I saw?”

No. 03: ”...I can’t guess.”

A low chuckle with Sanders’ unique raspy voice echoed in the space.

After laughing, Sanders didn’t offer any explanation and said: ”Since you know this is a picture from thirteen years ago, then you should also recognize the arm in the picture.”

”I recognize it.”

”Then go ahead and talk about it.”

No. 03 understood it would be difficult to find out the origins of that picture. However, from Sanders’ words, it was clear that what he knew wasn’t just a little...

”This arm was not hunted by us, strictly speaking, it wasn’t hunted by people from our No. 4 Laboratory,” said No. 03.

Ferro hurriedly asked: ”Where did you get it from?”

Looking at Ferro’s eager expression, No. 03 had already guessed that this arm was likely from the Red Butterfly Witch he was talking about.

”It was traded from No. 2 Laboratory, which is located in the West Continent Wizards’ Realm.”

West Continent Wizards’ Realm? Everyone was shocked by this answer.

Nis asked: ”The West Continent Wizards’ Realm is quite far from the Southern Domain, why trade this arm through such a long temporal and spatial distance?”

No. 03: ”In a previous live sacrifice, we obtained a batch of special Soul Arms original liquid. None of the extraordinary organs we had in reserve could bear these original liquids. After research, it was mainly a compatibility issue.”

”We had no choice but to request assistance from the Lacey Association headquarters via special channels. Through information sharing and our own data research, we eventually traded this arm from No. 2 Laboratory.”

”This arm had a very high compatibility with the Soul Arms original liquid and was the first finished product in that batch of special liquid.”

”However, we only traded this arm through channels. As for how No. 2 Laboratory obtained this arm, we did not inquire and do not know who its owner was.”