The eccentric doctor never makes a misdiagnosis!

Page 232

"Remnants of the Apostles?"

Fran was quite interested in this.

Most of the apostles who reached the sixth tier in the world died in the "War of Death" initiated by the God of Hunting. Not to mention remnants, even "traces" have become extremely rare.

"Yes."

"She probably worshipped the Flower of Creation. Although she possessed some characteristics of mythical creatures, her power was nearly exhausted. After paying a certain price, we killed her."

Utus explained quickly, his words carrying the meticulousness and rigor characteristic of Professor White Cup.

"Meanwhile, the Nightmare appeared after we killed the Gardener. After the surprise attack failed, he chose to lie low again. As for whether he is still lingering nearby... we do not know."

"That's it."

Fran didn't seem to care much about it.

In fact, she had considered lying in wait for the Nightmare Guest at the Sleeping Sand Bell Tower. If she were to actually encounter that guy head-on, he would have virtually no chance of escaping.

Whether it's Heda, Shitia, or Sigrid, all three possess the ability to suppress ordinary high priests in direct combat. Whether the dominant force behind his consciousness is the Raider Lyons or the Seer Karmion… none of this can change his ultimate fate.

However, Fran did not choose to do so.

That fellow is an intriguing starting point; give him more time, and perhaps he can unearth even deeper secrets. Just as its name suggests, the filth of Golmouth lies hidden beneath the bleak shadows of the icy ocean.

Before we can explore this secluded flower garden any further, there is one more thing that needs to be done.

Prioritizing the treatment of the wounded is a professional quality that Fran, as a doctor, has always upheld.

"Hmm... the smell of blood. It seems Mr. Bartley is seriously injured."

"It's not too serious. Compared to when I escaped Loreton like a dead dog back then, this is just a minor injury. However, the effects of the Lantern Radiance Secret Technique are very strange, and it's difficult to get rid of its influence for the time being."

Bartley seemed to want to make a gesture to show that he was in good condition, but because Rosalie's stitching technique was not professional, the pain from the aggravation of the wound made him twitch his lips.

Fran gently touched his lower lip, examining the wounds on his body with a subtle expression.

"Oh, it's finished sewing. I don't know if it's just my imagination, but the stitching looks a bit rough, and it's somewhat similar to the edge finishing of a sweater..."

Upon hearing this, Rosalie felt her cheeks inexplicably burning and slowly turned her head away.

"At least the wound has been closed, which has prevented infection from an open wound to some extent. Take some medication to promote healing, and the medical department can handle the follow-up treatment. I have a high opinion of Ms. Marian's surgical skills."

Fran took a small green capsule from the medicine box and handed it to Bartley.

Without much hesitation, he swallowed the capsule and then twisted open the standard water bottle, taking a full sip.

"By the way, Dr. Fran, I just got a little trinket from Ms. Gardener. Consider it a return gift for that 'Shark Cutter' sword."

As he spoke, Bartley took a wooden box from his pouch at his waist and handed it to Fran.

As a disciplined hunter supervisor, Bartley was never one to feel indebted to others and always strived to repay them as quickly as possible. Besides, this thing was a flower; he himself couldn't even keep a cactus alive…

"How can this be so embarrassing..."

Although he seemed hesitant, Fran took the storage box with a very natural motion and examined it carefully after opening it.

Amidst the black prayers of the hunters, a slender tulip shimmering with golden light quietly unfolds.

Its aroma is strong and rich, carrying a vibrant and vigorous life force.

-

-

Soup! (To speak of pigeons without actually speaking of pigeons is to say that one is not a pigeon; to speak of pigeons without actually speaking of pigeons is also to say that one is a pigeon.)

Chapter 125 Tulips and Wild Lilies

The gardener's remains still retain the shape of a tulip; even without soil and roots, it still maintains the posture of a bud about to bloom.

"Um……"

Fran picked up a flower branch, held it to his nose and took a light sniff, then turned to Bartley beside him and asked a question.

"Mr. Bartley, did the 'gardener' say anything else before he died?"

"let me see……"

Bartley was caught up in the fervor of the fierce battle and his memory of the enemy's words was not clear. He only vaguely remembered them after a brief recollection.

“She said, ‘End this endless watch, and then… enjoy my remaining legacy.’ Compared to those evil creatures that enjoy dying, this one has a strange air about her. She seems to have no fear of death at all.”

"Just as death was not the end for her, but rather a kind of final destination. I couldn't understand her ancient Aertilan language at first, but as my wounds healed, the true meaning of her words kept resurfacing in my mind..."

"...Of course, I wouldn't eat this stuff of unknown origin."

In fact, most hunters strictly control their diet when carrying out field missions, basically only consuming the standard supplies they carry with them, in order to prevent inadvertently ingesting contaminated substances.

"There's no need to worry too much about that; she has no intention of harming you in this way. However, if you do eat this tulip, you'll probably be assigned to the Black Banyan tree."

Although only a brief examination was conducted, Fran was already able to determine the true nature of the tulip.

It is a genuine apostle's remains, rich in coveted Cup-type spiritual essence. Ingesting it will trigger a series of changes to the body, such as enhanced self-healing abilities, increased immunity, and a certain affinity for the secret arts of that Cup-type system.

However, this tulip seems to have some flaw, preventing the esoteric disciples from glimpsing the path to apostlehood.

Just as Fran was lost in her thoughts, she suddenly felt a light touch on her shoulder, and the sound of wings flapping down rang in her ears.

"Gah."

As Vivian stepped onto the third tier, Mu Ning also gained a form more like a raven. This made it slightly larger, and its feathers fuller and brighter.

"Vivian's condition is not good. She may have been affected by the special influence of the secret realm? Hmm... I'll go check on her."

With that, Fran quickly turned around and walked toward Vivian, who was suppressing her trembling.

Gazing at the scene of the man and the crow conversing before her, Haida's gray-chestnut eyes narrowed slightly, and she remained silent, seemingly puzzled.

If the current situation weren't so inappropriate, she really wanted to ask Dr. Fran how he managed to communicate so seamlessly with Munin and decipher so much meaning from that single "ga".

"Dr. Fran, my face feels hot. It feels a bit like I have a fever..."

Vivian was even having trouble standing at this moment, so Fran supported her arm, maintaining a steady support.

"Your body temperature is indeed slightly elevated."

"However, given the average physical condition of the third-tier disciples, they should not be so easily infected with diseases."

That being said, Fran actually knew the cause of Vivian's illness when they first met. The reason she felt weak and unwell was mainly because of the sensual plants that could be found everywhere in this secret realm.

Vivian's newly advanced physique, which had just reached the third tier, would have allowed her to sustain herself for a while longer. However, the tulip left behind by the gardener had activated the aura of all the surrounding plants, which is why she experienced more severe symptoms.

Oh, we can also use a less elegant, less respectable, and inappropriate term to describe this state—heat. Or, to put it another way, uncontrolled hormone secretion.

Of course, this is just one of the most common influences of the Cup sign. Other influences include an abnormally strong appetite, an uncontrollable sadistic or masochistic desire, and a lingering, intoxicating sense of pleasure.

Fran's eyes flickered slightly as many treatment options began to surface in her mind, and she had to choose the most suitable one.

Taking the green capsules directly can indeed greatly alleviate current symptoms by stabilizing the mind, as they possess strong mental stability. However, if the inhalation of the herbal scent continues without improvement, the accumulated serotonin will surge back after the medication wears off.

You should first use the "Dust Removal and Purification" technique to dispel the surrounding sensual scents before taking the medication. As for physical therapy, which can eliminate symptoms the fastest... that seems a bit too much of an invasion of privacy.

Thinking of this, Fran couldn't help but feel a little emotional.

I shouldn't have developed such a highly integrated, broad-spectrum drug as "Cure Your Illness 3000." It makes me look like a quack doctor who only prescribes one medicine for every ailment...

Just then, Utus spoke up.

“Dr. Fran, I have a few more standard faceplates here. The medication in their respirators can effectively neutralize the components of the Desire Flower.”

As he spoke, he took out an unopened white cup-shaped standard faceplate from his backpack and handed it to Fran.

She pressed her face against the mask, sniffed it for a moment, then dabbed some medicine from the filter and put it in her mouth. She then read out the specific components of each medicine one by one.

"Powdered peyote, datura extract, rotten winterwood root, venom of the Atilan sand snake, coral ash, and woody wormwood from Norrington. A dangerous formula so bold it's almost arrogant, but it's effective enough, and even somewhat safe."

"If it only contains the first few ingredients or the proportions are wrong, this stuff would probably be a potent hallucinogen that drives people insane. May I ask, which apothecary of the White Cup Order wrote the formula?"

As he spoke, Fran had already put the mask on Vivian.

As the bitter and cold aura filled her lungs, the flush on Vivian's face visibly subsided, and the burning, tingling sensation that surged through her limbs also cooled abruptly.

"It's Mr. Grantham. This is a formula he developed a hundred years ago for the 'florists' of the Flower of Creation. It is said that before the efficacy and safety of this drug were proven, his former colleagues thought he was making poison."

"Hmm...that does fit my stereotype of him."

Fran simply nodded slightly upon hearing this, showing no surprise.

It's not surprising, even expected, that Grantham possesses considerable expertise in pharmaceuticals and biological sciences. To live for over four hundred years in a human body requires more than just a hidden rank on the fifth ladder.

　At least, that's how it is for the deniers.

Certain secret rituals involving flesh-and-blood fusion and alien transformation can easily break through the lifespan limit of less than a thousand years, but at the same time, the user will inevitably pay a price. Perhaps it is their mind, or perhaps it is their ego.

As the heat emanating from deep within her internal organs gradually subsided, Vivian's tense expression also relaxed.

Through her personal experience, she gained a profound understanding of the teachings she received from her detective instructors during her reserve service.

That is, “Little guys, if you are trapped in a desperate situation and have no chance of struggling, then you’d better save your last bullet for yourselves before being captured by the heretics.”

"Hey... Ever since the beginning of the millennium, those heretics have been honing the art of 'torture.' The absurdity and cruelty of their methods are far beyond your imagination. Don't be so arrogant as to boast about your 'unwavering' will. I've seen far too many fools who betrayed their masters after being captured."

The mere invasion of the alluring scent of the flowers had almost completely eroded Vivian's reason.

Even her attempts to force herself to stay awake by creating wounds or biting her tongue were futile; the physical pain only intensified the pleasure rising in her mind, making it increasingly unbearable.

The warmth and scent of another person made this instinctive desire almost uncontrollable. Earlier, when Dr. Fran stepped forward to help Vivian up, she was even filled with the urge to bite the neck of the person in front of her.

Fragrant blood plasma flowed beneath delicate, fair skin, so full it was intoxicating, like a tempting fruit.

However, driven by a strong will to survive, she ultimately managed to restrain herself.

After all, that's Dr. Fran...

Given her style of behavior, if I were to do something out of line to her, she might understand that I couldn't control myself and therefore wouldn't really be angry, but the consequences could be even more unpredictable...

"Um, Dr. Fran, I feel much better."

Dispelling strange thoughts and embarrassing images from her mind, Vivian shook her slightly dizzy head and looked at Fran, who was still supporting her arm.

"It seems that entering the third stage has indeed improved your physical fitness and drug absorption ability. Generally speaking, it takes about 20 minutes for inhaled drugs such as nebulizers to take effect."

Once he was sure she could stand on her own, Fran gently and naturally let go of her hand.

In fact, Fran had already sensed the peculiar aura permeating the entire secret realm the moment he stepped into the ornate flower garden. The reason he didn't offer any warnings or precautions was mainly because he wanted to know how long Vivian could maintain her composure.

When almost everyone possesses extraordinary physical attributes, an ordinary experimental subject becomes all the more precious...

“Dr. Fran, are you not going to use a mask? This secret realm is very strange; even Rosalie, with her Moon Familia abilities, cannot be immune to its effects.”

Seeing that Fran and Sister Heda didn't seem to intend to use the White Cup standard faceplate, Bartley gave them a slightly puzzled reminder.

"Oh, my constitution is a little special; the scent of the Desire Flower has almost no effect on me. No need to worry."

Fran's lips curled up slightly, and a hint of a smile appeared in his eyes, seemingly unconcerned about Bartley's concerns.

Aside from her, the influence of the Desire Blossom aura on the others was negligible. Although Sigrid maintained a human form, she was essentially a product of forbidden alchemy, a humanoid Sunforge.

Haida, possessing the toxin resistance from four cosmetic surgeries and the funeral maid's skills, is immune to the allure of the sensual scent. As for Shitia, no further explanation is needed…

Mythical creatures can feed directly on pure spiritual essence that meets their own needs, and the Nine Spirits of the Cup happen to be within the three of Heysil's diet. Therefore, the eerie environment of the Huayan Flower Garden will only make her feel more comfortable.

"Dr. Fran, what should we do next?"

Just then, the inchworm, who had finished preparing, asked Fran a question. He hadn't fought much in the previous battle against the gardener, so he had conserved most of his strength and didn't need much rest.

The question at this moment is also a way of trying to figure out Fran's attitude.

Most theatrical manipulators prefer to remain behind the scenes, but in the style of "The Hermit," she seems to be the type who enjoys being active on stage in some capacity.

Now is the right time, so why not boldly speak up and seek guidance? You might just get more attention.

"What are we doing... We haven't fully explored this secret garden yet. My suggestion is to go deeper and see its full extent."

"But what about the Sleeping Sand Bell Tower? Shall we go there later?"

Upon hearing that they were to venture deeper into the eerie Huayan Flower Garden, Rosalie's expression became somewhat subtle.

Their initial plan was to target the Sleeping Sand Bell Tower. However, their accidental entry into the secret realm completely disrupted their plans.

"Sleeping Sand Clock Tower..."

Upon hearing her mention that place, Fran pursed her lips and shifted her gaze slightly to the side.

"In fact, we came from the Sleeping Sand Bell Tower. Now there's nothing left there but ashes."

Heda spoke, giving Rosalie's question a concise and direct answer.