Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 2388: Chapter 2389: False Memories

Nis noticed that when Ferro mentioned ”the person he met,” his expression was evidently confused, and he often paused for a few seconds, like an old man whose thoughts had begun to slow.

”How does the person you mentioned look?” Nis asked.

Ferro pondered for nearly ten seconds before speaking: ”Should, should be a very ordinary appearance, right? In my memory, there don’t seem to be any outstanding physical characteristics...”

Ferro’s description was very verbose, causing Angel and Nis to frown involuntarily.

”Stop for now.” Nis halted Ferro’s narration.

Under Ferro’s puzzled gaze, Nis raised his finger, and a glow flowed at his fingertip: ”I feel something is wrong with your current state, let’s clear your head first.”

With that, the glow at Nis’s fingertip rushed into Ferro’s brow.

Level 2 trick, Soul Sound, can cleanse and purify negative effects like impurities and filth. Meanwhile, it can calm a turbulent mind, and has a certain mind-clearing effect.

When used by a Soul Expert, the effect of Soul Sound is remarkable. Ferro’s eyes, previously clouded with confusion and hesitation, cleared visibly.

Only then did Nis retract the continuously releasing Soul Force: ”How do you feel now?”

Ferro exhaled deeply, rubbing his temples: ”Seems a little better.”

Nis: ”What happened just now? You sounded hesitant and kept speaking in uncertain terms.”

Ferro’s expression was a bit odd, his eyes revealed bewilderment and a hint of fear: ”I don’t know either. Every time I try to recall him, my thoughts seem to blank out.”

”In my memory, he’s like... like...”

Seeing Ferro showing signs of dullness again, Nis quickly released Soul Sound once more.

Ferro waved his hand: ”No need now, I’m fine. I was just considering my phrasing.”

After a pause, Ferro continued: ”In my memory, he’s like a false photograph.”

A false photograph. It’s clearly his own memory, yet he uses ”false” as an adjective. This description made Nis and Angel feel an unspeakable absurdity.

Nis: ”Why do you say that?”

Ferro: ”Because, it seems real, but upon closer examination, it appears to be false.”

Ferro explained this feeling in detail: when he first recalls, everything seems normal, the images in memory are coherent and bright.

But when he began recounting what happened after encountering that person, naturally he focused all his attention on ”that person” in his memories.

At this point, things became increasingly wrong.

The normally vivid images of memory started to change in tone, the more he explored, the more blurred they became. The more he thought about that person and tried to recall their appearance, his thoughts noticeably slowed as if some force was obstructing his deep contemplation of the other party.

That’s why, when Nis asked about the person’s appearance, Ferro started by describing according to memory, but the more he described, the stronger that ”barrier” feeling became...

”It’s like my memory is blocking me from peeking at and describing the person’s face.” Ferro couldn’t help but ask himself: ”But this is supposed to be my own memory.”

It was precisely this strange phenomenon that led Ferro to describe it as a ”false photograph.”

The photograph refers to the memory images in his mind.

But now, those memory images have been branded with the ”false” title, which suddenly made Ferro doubt his own life.

He now somewhat questions, what is actually real in his memory? Did he really meet that person? Or is it something he imagined?

After hearing Ferro’s description, Nis pondered for a moment and said to Angel: ”Don’t you think this resembles characteristics of soul text?”

Angel: ”It does have traits of soul text, but the effect is somewhat different.”

Soul text causes memories to automatically blur after shifting focus, making it hard to recall the textual content.

Ferro’s description is different, as long as he doesn’t touch it, everything stands normal. But once he recalls that person, even his own memories in his head start to blur and affect him.

It’s as if a silent virus has been planted in Ferro’s memory.

But this virus only targets Ferro’s recollection of ”that person.”

Nis: ”Soul text belongs to encrypted text, the inability to remember is because Quest World’s ultimate safeguard ensures it follows Quest World’s established rules. Its dignity is transcendent, so it has such an effect.”

”Following this logic, if Ferro wasn’t attacked... is there a possibility that the person Ferro encountered is transcendent in dignity, able to somewhat blur or even distort rules.”

Nis’s words did not receive a direct response from others because his speculation seemed too unconventional.

Nis himself understood; his speculation lacked basis: ”This is just something I suddenly thought of, considered it an... inspiration? Personally, I tend to trust such baseless intuitions because those intuitions once saved my life.”

As soon as these words fell, Nis didn’t wait for Angel and Ferro’s reaction, turning his gaze to Reynaud: ”Kid, do you think my intuition is true or false?”

Reynaud, who was sitting quietly and listening with relish, was startled when Nis suddenly called his name.

”I’m asking you a question.”

Reynaud: ”I, I don’t know either... but when I encounter danger, I also trust my intuition. I think it should be trustworthy, right?”

Nis turned to Angel: ”Even the lucky mascot agrees with my view, it seems my speculation might really be true.”

Reynaud weakly said: ”I have a name, I am not a masc...”

Before Reynaud could finish his sentence, a roaring sound accompanied by a blast of air surged once again, and everyone returned to a state of being like a statue.

As the effect of the blast subsided, Angel frowned and looked toward the direction of ”The Nest”: ”What on earth is happening over there?”

Nis: ”Don’t you feel that this kind of blast has a hint of the Power of Laws?”

Angel nodded.

”A creature capable of using the Power of Laws should have a very high status, right? Could it be the person Ferro encountered?”

Angel did not comment on Nis’s speculation. Nis’s previous speculations perhaps had a bit of internal logic and could be considered ”deductions,” but this time, it was nothing more than unfounded conjecture.

Nis shrugged: ”This is a reasonable assumption made under the premise of trusting intuition.”

Nis: ”However, speculation is ultimately speculation, and the specifics still require evidence. So, I’ll check Ferro first to see if he has been cursed.”

Ferro’s memory problem is confirmed, but the root cause of his memory issue—whether it stems from the influence of that person’s status or from some unknown negative effect—remains undetermined. Therefore, Nis planned to conduct a thorough examination of Ferro first.

Although Angel could also perform similar detections, as a Soul Sect Wizard, Nis’s understanding of the human body and soul is undoubtedly stronger than Angel’s.

While Nis was examining Ferro, Angel said to Reynaud, ”Where is the entrance to the base laboratory? Lead me to check it out.”

Under Reynaud’s guidance, they walked deep into the Mist.

Soon, Angel saw a small, semicircular fortress arching out from the ground.

This iron-cast small fortress didn’t look very big, about the size of a single-person tent sewn from animal skins used by herdsmen.

From the exterior, the entire fortress seemed to be integrally formed, showing no sign of assembly... of course, it’s also possible that any assembly marks are inside.

”This is where we entered the laboratory before,” Reynaud said while circling around the fortress: ”There used to be a Light Gate here, but now it’s gone... it must have been closed.”

As Reynaud spoke, Angel also approached the fortress, reaching out directly toward it.

Seeing this, Reynaud quickly shouted, ”No! That’ll trigger the mechanisms...”

Before Reynaud could finish speaking, Angel’s hand had already pressed against the metal outer shell of the fortress. But what Reynaud didn’t expect was, the mechanisms he predicted didn’t activate.

It was so calm that the fortress seemed nothing more than a piece of useless scrap metal.

”What’s going on?” Reynaud wondered: ”Maybe the laboratory hasn’t activated the mechanisms.”

Seeing Reynaud’s eager expression, Angel explained: ”The surface of the fortress has a layer of concealed Magic Patterns. The mechanisms you mentioned are also triggered by the Magic Patterns. As long as you find the non-trigger points of the Magic Patterns, you won’t trigger the mechanisms.”

Angel’s explanation was simple, but only those who’ve truly dealt with Magic Patterns would understand how challenging this operation is.

The trigger points of Magic Patterns are often not a single point; they are a linked triggering surface, and they keep shifting with the energy flow. Profound Magic Rune Mages can make the trigger points integrate with the entire structure, and Angel wouldn’t dare handle such Magic Patterns carelessly.

However, this Magic Pattern in front of him, though seemingly complex with a large linked surface, had flaws in Angel’s eyes.

With his mastery over Magic Patterns, Angel could easily find the non-trigger points. Yet, for anyone else, even an Alchemy Master from the Research and Development Institute, it would be impossible to do it as effortlessly as Angel.

After explaining the key to Magic Patterns to Reynaud, Angel followed the energy flow and began observing the Magic Patterns.

The silvery metal fortress looked smooth and unblemished from the outside, but in Angel’s vision, it was covered in glowing patterns.

Though the Magic Pattern had some flaws, its design concept carried an exotic sense, which greatly inspired Angel, drawing him to immerse his mind fully into it.

Time ticked by second by second.

By the time Angel came back to his senses, he noticed that Nis and the others had already arrived.

”When did you guys get here?”

Nis: ”We’ve been here for a while, but seeing you so focused, we didn’t want to disturb you. So, did you find anything?”

Angel nodded: ”Ferro is right; there is indeed a highly complex Magical Energy Array inscribed at the entrance of the laboratory... but, right now, I can only see the part of the Magic Pattern exposed on the fortress. More of it is hidden underground, maybe even inside, so it’s difficult to assess the specific situation.”

”So, it can’t be opened?”

Angel: ”Normally, it can’t be opened, but it’s not entirely impossible to get inside.”

”What other methods?” Nis asked curiously.

”Simply crack part of the Magic Pattern to find a gap for entry.” Rather than explaining how to crack part of the Magic Pattern, Angel shifted the conversation: ”And what about your side? After checking Ferro, was there anything unusual?”

Nis shook his head: ”No signs of curses or other negative effects.”

Ferro: ”I also checked myself and didn’t feel any abnormalities. Either this negative effect is extremely powerful, surpassing our level, or, as Nis mentioned... the issue might not be a curse but that person.”