The eccentric doctor never makes a misdiagnosis!

Page 136

He was Haida's instructor during her preparatory period, known for his eccentric personality and difficulty in getting along with her. He now manages the Hunter's branch in Dallin Town, the "Silent Church," and is in an administrative position.

His old injuries were too severe and had become chronic, making him unable to handle strenuous hunting duties. Otherwise, given his skills and experience, he could most likely have been promoted to head of funeral services.

Just as Haida was about to speak, Naor drew the pistol from his waist without warning, and in an instant, the muzzle was pointed at her.

But Haida is even faster!

Before the gun was pointed at her, she had already drawn two wooden-handled folding knives from the side of her nun's robe and held them to the other man's throat and wrists.

The throat was severed for a fatal blow, while the wrist strike was aimed at disrupting the shot. The entire movement was executed in one fluid motion, completed in the blink of an eye.

The ability to take down a target while still having the capacity to eliminate the threat posed by that target is a perfect example of close-quarters suppression.

"Humph."

With a blade pressed against his neck, a smile appeared on Naoer's scarred face.

“Indeed, your skills have improved considerably compared to two years ago. It seems the rumors about the Hunting Priest are not just ‘artistic embellishment’.”

"I just did some of my assigned tasks."

Haida put away her folding knife and responded with a reserved and indifferent air.

She knew Naor's habits well. He'd made a habit of performing dangerous stunts like this during his time as a coach. Almost every former reserve soldier who saw him again would be greeted with this kind of "greeting."

"Hey, I told you, but you didn't believe me. You just had to go and embarrass yourself."

"Her chief examiner is Bartley from the Yuanhai branch. Do you really think that guy would go easy on her?"

Hei Rong chuckled smugly from the side.

Although his tone was as mature and experienced as that of a seasoned hunter, the little boy's appearance made it difficult for anyone to be serious.

Black Banyan has been stationed at the Church of Silence in Dauerlin recently, and was therefore one of the hosts for this trip.

"It's just to test its quality. I just don't want the students I teach to become parasites of the Order. The reason why the Loretown branch was destroyed was because those fools accepted the money and titles promised by Grand Duke Einstein."

After arguing with Hei Rong for a moment, Ruo Er realized that she no longer cared about this little episode.

He raised his hand and handed a key shaped like an eye to Haida, which was used in a ritual to unlock the outer perimeter of the library ruins.

"With the son of the Susanoo here, I think you don't need a guide. Remember, safety is the most important thing in the ruins."

After giving Heda a few instructions, he began to hand over some other matters to several exonerators of the White Cup Order.

The Hunters stationed outside the ruins serve not only as guides but also as a safety net. If a catastrophic event were to occur at the ruins, they would detonate the placed explosives at the last moment, burying everything in the rubble.

Soon, everything was ready.

After walking for nearly half an hour, the exploration team entered the deep forest behind Daurlin Town.

It was a lush and secluded woodland.

The tree's branches are gnarled and twisted, with countless whitish-white tendrils hanging from between the leaves, resembling a curtain woven purely from plants.

They are both banyan trees, and they are from the same tree.

The banyan tree is a typical southern tree species, thriving in temperatures above 15 degrees Celsius. Given the near-freezing temperatures in Daurlin, it should have been unable to survive, but not only did it live, it flourished and thrived…

There is no doubt that the ruins of that library are nourishing it in some way.

The two sons of the banyan trees walked at the front of the procession. The roots of the banyan trees that hung down would sway on their own when they encountered them, making room for people to walk.

Besides facilitating their advance, this also serves as a form of surveillance. If they make any unusual moves, the people behind them can take immediate action.

After traversing halfway through, a hint of weariness appeared in Fran's amber eyes. Clearly, she didn't enjoy this prolonged, strenuous trek through the woods. But the ruins were currently sealed off, and the Fog of the Doorway was temporarily inaccessible… she could only endure it for now.

Elsa 2, on the other hand, was in high spirits and even had the energy to capture some insect samples along the way.

"Here we are."

Albert brushed aside the banyan tendrils and dust, revealing a massive doorway formed by the intertwining of dozens of banyan trees.

It is currently sealed within the third type of ritual of the Hunter of Secrets, the Secret of Stasis, and is surrounded by brass chains.

As Haida placed the key into the lock slot, the joints of the chains, which had been covered in dust, emitted a red-hot glow.

Dozens of seconds later, the brass chains melted and fell off, and the ancient banyan tree door opened by itself.

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Transitioning.

Chapter Thirty-One: Banyan Beard Mimicry

Inside the door woven from banyan roots lies a dark and narrow corridor that leads directly to the underground ruins.

One area was so dark that the specific details could not be seen.

Terence lit several lanterns with incandescent light, distributed one to each person, and then officially began the exploration of the ruins.

The White Cup Order attempted a preliminary exploration several years ago, but only reached the middle section and did not go deep.

There wasn't any particular reason; it was simply because this site dates back to the Dust Era, which is far too ancient. Therefore, most of the valuable artifacts have been severely damaged by time and are beyond repair.

After considering the budget, the professors in the history department decided to postpone the subsequent excavation plan.

After entering the Banyan Tree Gate, Terence looked at Albert at the front of the group.

“Mr. Albert, please introduce your old sanctuary.”

Although he himself possessed some information about the library ruins, it was only a preliminary summary of exploration experience, and naturally could not compare with the internal documents of the Son of Suki sect.

Albert pursed his lips, thought for a moment, and then gave his answer.

"The Old Sanctuary is divided into three areas: the outer ruins, the central library, and the core. The outer area is not dangerous, and most of the plants here are non-toxic, but it is not recommended to touch them too much, as some species can cause a person's sense of time to become disoriented."

"There are some untriggered ancient rituals in the eight central library sections, which pose a certain potential danger. Just avoid them carefully."

"So, our target this time is the core layer?"

Elsa followed up with a question.

At the same time, she felt a strange sense of curiosity: why would the envoy of the Son of the Tree be a boy who looked no more than sixteen? Oh, and the hunter who had greeted them earlier—he seemed even younger…

Does this mean that child labor is prevalent among secret cults?

"Do not."

A strange light flashed in Albert's eyes, and he gave a swift and decisive answer.

"The relic we are looking for is located deep within the central library, but it is still some distance from the core layer. The core layer should never be opened under any circumstances."

"Our only goal is to retrieve the sacred artifact; you may distribute the rest of the spoils as you see fit. However, we hope that your church will permanently seal the ruins after this exploration concludes."

Fran became somewhat interested upon hearing this.

After a moment's hesitation, she spoke with a touch of shyness.

"Excuse me... what exactly is inside the core layer?"

I thought Albert would give a vague answer or simply refuse to answer, but he shook his head with a complicated expression.

"I do not know."

“Originally, this old sanctuary was the main branch of the Sons of the Tree of Suddenness, while the sect I belong to was a former branch, and there are no records of the core members.”

Each stamen of the banyan tree has the potential to become a branch, thus enabling it to grow into a forest on its own, and the distribution of the Sons of the Banyan Tree sect follows the same principle. When the main lineage perishes for some reason, the branches will spontaneously take its place.

Even Suki no Ko doesn't know the specifics...?

Childe squinted, looking somewhat uneasy.

He wasn't afraid of danger, but he always felt a strange unease lingering in his heart. Perhaps it was because the Death card he received from Dr. Fran's divination earlier was too ominous, which had a slight impact on his mindset.

Hearing Albert's warning, Elsa immediately became more vigilant. A quiet fear of the unknown rose within her, suppressing her excitement.

At the same time, she still felt something was off.

Why does that woman in the black smock look so familiar? Even her voice sounds familiar. I shouldn't know anyone from Golmouth...

The doubt flashed through her mind, and Elsa didn't dwell on it too much. She quickly resumed her exploration work, starting to collect plant and animal samples from the area surrounding the ruins.

After all, according to the mission plan, she could only stay in the outer ruins and could not go deep into the central library.

Passing through a corridor woven from banyan roots and various plants, one is greeted by a vast and gloomy underground ruin. Collapsed buildings are everywhere, crumbling into weathered debris at the slightest touch.

This is why, despite the fact that this ruin dates back to the more distant Dust Order era, the White Cup Order does not consider it particularly dangerous. Secret rituals gradually lose their spiritual essence, and finely crafted machines gradually rust their gears... The erosion of time is enough to destroy all creation.

However, the plants here are still thriving and flourishing.

"Dream-Sleeping Flowers actually grow here? I remember they only grow in areas with a deep-sea climate."

Elsa discovered a small clump of dark purple Dream Sleeping Flowers. To her surprise, she picked up a flower and some seeds.

"Although the ancient banyan tree follows the rule of the seasons, it also contains a spirit of prosperity... The plants here are all nourished by the spirit of the cup. That is why they can survive in harsh environments."

Albert offered an explanation.

Although he is young, his knowledge of mystical arts is already quite extensive, and in some aspects he even surpasses that of the professors at the academy.

Incidentally... this "not very old" is relative; he's actually over twenty. Disciples of the Son of the Tree, influenced by the secret arts of the Ancient Banyan System, possess a slight amount of longevity traits, causing their development to be slightly slower.

Looking at the Dream Flower rooted in the dust of the ruins, Qi Fran's amber eyes revealed a hint of intriguing light. But as she gently adjusted her silver-rimmed glasses, that unusual light vanished.

As she approached, the colors of that cluster of dream flowers seemed to become even more vibrant, and one of the buds even burst open.

“It seems they like you very much, Ms. Flamel.”

Seeing this, Zeldron chuckled and joked. This scene also caught Nigel's attention, but he quickly figured out the reason behind it.

"Perhaps it's because you carry the scent of the Dream Flower's homeland?"

His guess was not without merit. While flowers imbued with spirituality may not develop self-awareness, their perception of the outside world becomes more acute.

"Maybe?"

Fran nodded slightly, seemingly agreeing with his idea.

The flowers' current state has little to do with the doctor. It's more likely related to the Sigrid pendant she's wearing at her waist...

Even without emitting light or heat, her aura, as a fragment of the primordial sun, can enhance the condition of plants.

Moreover, this underground ruin is perpetually dark, with only a tiny amount of light leaking through the dome woven from banyan roots. While other plants can survive by absorbing spiritual energy, their yearning for the sun grows stronger with each passing day.

Upon hearing Child's words, Elsa, who was observing the sample's condition, suddenly stopped, even halting the movement of her hands.

Fortunately, she was facing away from the exploration team at the moment, so no one noticed the surprise on her face.

Ms. Flamel?

Elsa's eye twitched slightly.

Is the somewhat shy girl in the group the same "Flamemer," the high priestess of the Lamp Church who cured her mental illness?

She compared the woman in her memory who had wiped out the entire Star Chart Research Society in the Mandala Tavern with the shy, bespectacled girl in front of her and was shocked to find that the two looked extremely similar, only their temperaments were completely different.

This is the familiar flow of her that I feel! [Group]↓: 5 Tumor 々《泀肆ˉ∶The reason...

This sudden discovery put Elsa under immense pressure. She didn't know what Flamel's purpose was, but she was well aware of the woman's overwhelming power... so she bit her lip, trying to regain her composure.

"what!"

A sudden exclamation rang out; it was Albert.

He slipped and lost his footing while walking through a building ruin. If Haida hadn't reacted quickly and pulled him up, he probably would have fallen into the collapsed pit below.

"Phew..." Albert patted his chest as he returned to a safe position, calming his erratic heartbeat.

This sudden turn of events left Terence somewhat puzzled.

“You are the sons of the tree of sustenance, shouldn’t you be very familiar with the old sanctuaries of your own sect?”

“We have never actually entered the ruins; our understanding of them is limited to documents. Our experience in on-site exploration may not even be as extensive as yours.”

Albert replied irritably.

"Although we have the structural diagrams and ritual array of the old sanctuary, it has been sealed for ten thousand years. Who knows what happened during that time?"

“That makes sense.” Terence accepted this explanation.

The White Cup Order has also frequently had similar experiences; almost every year, researchers from the History Department perish at the ruins of the White Cup ancestors. The Lost Age dates back thousands of years, and some ancient casting tools remain intact, making them extremely dangerous.

"Don't worry, the interior of the library won't be damaged that easily. What just happened was purely accidental."

After a moment's hesitation, Albert thanked Haida for her help.