The eccentric doctor never makes a misdiagnosis!

Page 190

soup!

Chapter 82 Lamentation and Martyrdom

With a subtle expression, Vivian watched Fran take the head and place it next to a locker in the clinic's entryway, as if it were a gift from a visiting friend.

If it weren't for a head inside, this scene would be quite heartwarming...

Led by Fran, the two slowly sat down in front of the wooden chairs in the main hall.

Compared to the Fog Street Clinic in Norlington, the furnishings here are much simpler. There are no bookshelves or fireplaces, and the soft velvet sofas have been replaced with hard wooden square chairs.

It's like a bare-bones house that's just been painted and put into use.

"So, what did you find at the Sleeping Sand Bell Tower?"

Although it was late at night, Fran showed no signs of drowsiness. His amber eyes gleamed subtly, shining brightly in the dim candlelight.

"Some anomalies were indeed discovered."

Haida was indeed puzzled by her experience outside the Sleeping Sand Bell Tower, and this was a good opportunity to exchange information and get Dr. Fran's opinion.

"The Star Abyss Academy's clock tower possesses a special effect, and is not merely a symbolic structure... It seems to attract evil creatures from the Abyss. According to the original description of the 'Abyss Curse,' those monsters should appear on any coastline during a full moon."

"But now, the evil creatures of the Abyss are all surging towards the clock tower."

As Fran listened to her description, he gently stroked his chin, lost in thought.

"Hmm...it sounds like the phototaxis of nocturnal insects."

“Something is different.”

Haida shook her head and added details about the evil creature in the Abyss.

“The evil creatures don’t chase the light recklessly like moths; instead, they become dazed after getting within a certain range of the Sleeping Sand Bell Tower. According to Vivian, their state is like ‘ecstasy’.”

"That's it."

"Ecstasy" is a very interesting state, and to some extent it confirms some of Fran's conjectures. She narrowed her eyes slightly, roughly understanding the operating principle of the Sleeping Sand Clock Tower.

Thinking of this, she asked the nun beside her a question.

"Hyda, do you know under what circumstances humans typically exhibit the emotion of 'ecstasy'?"

Upon hearing this, Haida pondered the true meaning of Dr. Fran's question.

However, she had already come up with many ideas on the way here, so she quickly came to a conclusion.

"Probably when material or spiritual needs are met."

"Tasting delicious food that suits your taste, reading a memorable book, immersing yourself in a hobby you love, or appreciating art that resonates with you..."

"Excellent, a textbook answer. Does this kind of content appear in the Hunter's test?"

Fran was quite satisfied with Haida's answer, so much so that he made a teasing remark out of curiosity.

"No, these are just some of my own superficial thoughts."

Haida responded humbly to her praise.

Vivian, who had been listening in, was very interested in the situation of those evil creatures from the abyss, after all, she was the one who had witnessed that scene firsthand. With a hint of doubt, she pressed Fran for an answer to the question she had just asked.

"So, the reason why those evil creatures from the abyss became sluggish... is because some of their needs have been met?"

"Perhaps."

Fran nodded slightly and then shared his guess.

“I didn’t witness that scene firsthand, so I can’t draw any conclusions. But if I had to say what kind of art could resonate with any living thing… it would probably be ‘music.’ Isn’t it just a coincidence that there are rumors of singing at the Miensara Bell Tower?”

"Rhythm, rhythm, and the coordinated vibration of matter have always had the power to catalyze emotions."

After a detailed explanation, Heda understood what Fran was trying to convey.

"So, that clock tower produces sounds we can't hear?"

“My dear Heda, how can you ask me that?” Fran shook her index finger and chuckled. “I haven’t been to the Sleeping Sand Bell Tower to hear it.”

"However, we can ask people who may have heard that voice."

As she spoke, she stretched her waist, then got up and went to the storage cabinet in the entryway, where she took the box containing the head of the ant-scaled prisoner.

"Oh, as expected of a highly corrupted humanoid material. Its brain has been deprived of oxygen for over twenty minutes, yet it's only in deep shock, not completely dead..."

Fran opened the sealed plastic bag and used his fingertips to lift the eyelids of the skull, where he could also detect signs of optic nerve activity such as pupil dilation and constriction.

"It's a real shame that Haida's sword only preserved the main body of her head and didn't stick to her neck and trachea. I was even thinking of getting this unlucky guy an artificial lung so he could sing live."

“Preparing an extra trachea and vocal tract would be troublesome. I haven’t heard his voice before, and the cultivated organs are very likely to have an inaccurate tone…”

Listening to the doctor's mutterings, Vivian sat up straight and blinked a few times, feeling inexplicably guilty.

Previously, when Fran performed autopsies in the Norrington sewers, she said, "The dead can talk." At the time, Vivian didn't take it too seriously, thinking it was just a boastful way of praising her superb medical skills.

In retrospect, she probably wasn't using a metaphor; she genuinely intended to get the deceased to speak. The doctor was even preparing to make the head sing…

"It seems we can only resort to the old method. Fortunately, we recently iterated on the [Bioconversion Device], so we shouldn't be missing too much information now."

After a thorough and meticulous examination, Fran finalized the plan.

She had used the bio-conversion device on Schmidt's brain before. However, it wasn't very complete then, so she only obtained fragmented clips of the white-cup teaching assistant being trained by a dancer.

Upon hearing her words, Heda couldn't help but show a look of "I knew it." Dr. Fran really did possess the technology to extract information from the minds of the dead; her premonition had come true…

Fran picked up the storage box containing the head, then snapped his fingers, and a strangely shaped large instrument appeared in the main hall, enveloped in gray mist.

[Bioconversion Device (First-Time Iteration)]

【～＋牭↑‖捌二∑4'《彡′[馓⊙』wu刺°猬‖摺〔;代…購（'：质量：普通）

[Effect: This product can extract and back up a living being's consciousness information, a process that also leads to the separation of the individual's soul. After a technical optimization by a doctor, the product can now read memories, but it still cannot maintain the integrity of the consciousness information.]

[Note: "The lives of the dead are painful and short, so why should we cling to this fragile body?" — Enlightened One, Xerath.]

"I'm too lazy to go back to the Norrington main store, let's just bring this thing over. Hmm... to be honest, I really want to hear what kind of singing voice can make even the evil creatures of the Abyss fall into a trance."

"Hopefully, this Ant Scale disciple has this information in his head."

As he spoke, Fran dusted and disinfected the [Bioconversion Device] that had been moved over, and then used the Spirit Bone Willow Leaf Blade to cut open the scales and bone of the skull in the sealed box, completely exposing the brain.

As the neural network-like mechanical threads in the instrument were connected to the grooved brain, the consciousness reading began.

The memories in the minds of the Antscale Disciples are biologically deconstructed and transcoded, ultimately becoming pure data that is loaded into the database of the casing.

"Hmm... This guy's self-awareness was also shattered by the instrument, just like Schmidt. Speaking of which, the soul extracted from the instrument can be used by Sigrid for research. Give her some time, and perhaps she can figure out the refining process for the Philosopher's Stone."

While operating the instruments, Fran didn't forget to mutter a few thoughtful words to himself.

This is her habit when conducting research; speaking out what's on her mind helps her thoughts flow more smoothly and coherently.

"Alright, you two. Take my hand."

After completing the preparations, Fran extended his hands to Haida and Vivian beside him.

"it is good."

Heda deftly placed her palm on the back of Vivian's hand, and although Vivian didn't quite understand what was going on, she did as she was told.

In an instant, the memories of the Ant Scale Disciples suddenly appeared in the minds of the three people from a first-person perspective.

The candlelight flickered and the firelight was dazzling, making the solemn and spacious church as bright as day.

A person kneels before a scarred statue of a deity, hands clasped together as if reciting a prayer.

But the voice that came from his mouth was not an epic or a hymn, but a murmured sob.

"Mother, crowned with the laurel of enlightenment... why, why did you abandon us? Why do you no longer respond, no longer offer guidance?"

"My wounds are still bleeding, my pain is still intense, and my spirit remains vigilant..."

Upon closer inspection, many wounds can be seen on the body of the person praying. Some have healed, while others are still bleeding.

“I don’t believe you will fall into eternal slumber like the fake White Cup. I believe you will eventually return. I believe… you will rise again from the blood and foam of the drowned, just like in the old days, fully armed and ready.”

He was pressing his head against the cold marble floor, his whispers sounding like sobs.

What is happening now is a routine that this disciple of the Ant Scales follows almost every day. Or rather, it is his penance and sacred lesson.

Time is like a calendar burning fiercely; decades vanish in the blink of an eye, leaving only ashes scattered by the wind.

The man grew increasingly old, his wounds constantly bleeding and healing. But his eyes had dried up, and he no longer wept when he prayed.

"My body and soul are exhausted and I am about to return to my grave. I can no longer serve you."

He murmured hoarsely, slowly wiping the dust off the altar with his calloused hands.

"Perhaps I am wrong... those treacherous madmen were not lying, you really have abandoned us."

The old man gazed at the solemn statue, his cloudy eyes filled with confusion and bewilderment.

Just then, he saw the wound carved on the statue... from which a few streaks of bright red blood began to flow. The blood churned and surged, as if something alive was swimming within it. (Shu)

"You...responded to me?"

After a brief moment of astonishment, an overwhelming joy surged through the old man's mind, almost driving him mad.

"Yes, indeed, you still exist! You still hold the key to unlock the riddle of illusion, dispelling the ignorance of us fools..."

He could feel the blessings and spirit flowing through his body again, and his long-withered vitality sprouted anew.

The shadow of death has faded; I am now embracing new life.

The old man, bathed in a profound sense of comfort, almost wept. (Six)

That's why he didn't notice the filthy scales peeking out from under his skin, while a subtle, itchy sensation of tiny creatures wriggling within his wound... Lu

-

"Ah!"

Vivian snapped out of her reverie, immediately crossed her arms over her chest, and gasped for breath.

Her face was unnaturally pale, and her disordered breathing took a long time to calm down.

"Was the stimulus from this memory too strong? Relax, you'll get used to it. What you're seeing is just pure information and won't pollute your personality."

Seeing that Vivian wasn't in a good mood, Fran reached out and gently patted her back to comfort her before bringing her a cup of "Sleep Tranquility" with sugar.

This herbal tea, when paired with some sugar cubes, is perfect for stabilizing children's emotions and preventing seizures.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Fran, I wasn't feeling well just now..."

Vivian took the teacup, took a sip, and then apologized somewhat embarrassedly.

The memories of the Antscale Disciples are presented from a first-person perspective.

Therefore… his pain, confusion, the ravages of time, the aging of his body, and finally the strange sensation of being tainted by worms could all be felt in the most direct way. This had a very strong psychological impact on Vivian.

While waiting for her to stabilize, Fran explained what had just happened.

"The days in the church were the most memorable for this disciple of Ant Scale. At that time, he could still be called human."

"Hmm...and this guy seems to be a remnant of a lost era, several hundred years ago. The memory of the song from the Sleeping Sand Bell Tower needs to be pushed back quite a bit."

As she spoke, she adjusted the bio-conversion device and extracted more recent memories.

"Vivian, if you feel uncomfortable, you don't have to force yourself. I can read it and then repeat it."

Given that Vivian didn't seem to be in good condition, Fran thoughtfully asked for her opinion.

"Um... Dr. Fran, I'm much better now, please let me continue."

Unexpectedly, this time Vivian did not agree to her request, but instead said that she had recovered and could view the memories of the Ant Scale Disciples again.

Gathering secrets is the duty of a Secret Service agent, and she was unwilling to give up halfway because of some insurmountable problems.

Vivian might not be the bravest, but to become a Hunter... she certainly isn't a truly weak person.

"Oh, commendable courage... Alright then, I respect your opinion."

Fran clapped his hands with a hint of encouragement, then pulled her up again and began to show her the memories of the second act of the Antscale Disciples.

That's... the perspective of the evil heir.

Vivian felt her entire field of vision widen and become dizzying, as if she were constantly spinning. Incoherent babbling accompanied by the sound of surging waves filled her eardrums, and maddening noise was everywhere.

The images kept overlapping and intersecting, like a powerful hallucination seen after taking drugs.

Vivian forced herself to calm down before she could barely make out that the Ant Scale Disciple was being escorted by several Star Speakers to the Sleeping Sand Bell Tower, tightly chained with steel chains.