The eccentric doctor never makes a misdiagnosis!

Page 288

"There is another group whose skin will be burst open by the growths, their scales will explode layer by layer, and they will then transform into all sorts of evil creatures from the abyss... This type of experiment will result in immediate execution."

At this point, her fingers began to tremble uncontrollably.

Lauris still remembers the experimental subject who had warned her about the rules of survival here, who was transformed into a human-lipped worm right before her eyes. His spine writhed wildly like a snake, forcibly "squeezing" himself out of his body, along with the network of blood vessels and nerves.

"Thank you for your reply, Ms. Lawrence."

Having gotten the answer he wanted, Fran smiled with satisfaction.

"Speaking of which, there's something else."

"After this incident, I suggest that Ms. Lauris take a bath first. The medicated dressing I used in your special treatment is corrosive, so it's best to clean it thoroughly."

In fact, the Time Aphid preparation had been completely absorbed by Lauris, and a bath afterwards would have no additional benefits other than soothing her mind and body. The doctor's warning was because the substance was made from Time Aphid Honeydew…

Although the only food source for the aphid *Echinochloa crus-galli* is ancient banyan branches, its diet is extremely clean, and there are no hygiene issues.

But honeydew is ultimately a metabolic byproduct, which always makes people feel inexplicably uncomfortable.

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羹？

Chapter 190 The Sanctuary of the Corpse Palace

Lauris's physical condition has stabilized, and with Derica's support, she is still able to maintain a certain level of mobility.

She herself was a seasoned Six-Eyed Raven Scavenger, having worked in intelligence and her less-than-honorable "old profession" for many years. Her physical condition and endurance were far superior to those of ordinary people.

In addition, the monstrous transformation caused by the Abyssal Spirit Essence and the blood of Hyel has made her even stronger, and these qualities will gradually manifest as her physical strength and mental state recover.

"Detrika, who exactly is the lady who healed me...?"

During a break in their journey, Lauris cautiously leaned close to Detrica's ear and inquired about Fran's identity.

“She is my employer. As for more information, please forgive me for not being able to provide it. But I do have a lot to say to you. So much has happened to Laurence in the past two years... Let's talk about it after we leave here.”

In response, Detrica gave a concise reply.

Out of the caution and keenness of an intelligence professional, she didn't reveal more, even to Lauris, whom she considered family. After all, this was inside the Star Abyss Society's research facility, surrounded by living corpses—undoubtedly a forbidden and deadly place.

Strictly speaking, Detricka's and Laureth's lives were entirely in the hands of Ms. Vivian. Without her and Ms. Sydia's help, the two would have virtually no chance of surviving.

"Ah."

Lauris nodded obediently in agreement.

Based on her usual talent for reading people and adapting to changing circumstances, she had already vaguely discerned the social order among them from the brief conversation and changes in atmosphere.

Clearly, the mysterious woman in the Ahantassa robe was the one in charge. Her methods of healing herself, and the languid ease she exuded despite being in perilous situations, all indicated that she was no ordinary esoteric Buddhist disciple.

Could this woman be a high-ranking member of some secret cult? Judging from the current situation, that seems to be the only possibility. It's unclear how Detrick managed to find this "employer."

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Deep within the Star Abyss Academy's research institute lies the forged Corpse Palace.

Previously, Melvis had assisted Bernhard in conquering Vanfna Street, but when he tore open the protective array of the Noralia family's treasury, he found it almost empty. High-value spirit-infused materials were nearly gone; all that was visible were mountains of precious metals.

For ordinary people or any secret cult, this would be an enormous and undeniable fortune. But Melvis had little need for it at the moment… with the Gallonson Royal Court behind him, he had no shortage of funds.

What Melvis urgently needs right now are spiritual materials, esoteric texts, and the accumulation of the Noralia family over a thousand years.

However, the Marquis of Jude had already handed over most of the precious materials from his treasury to the White Cup Order as payment for the "Blood Plague Cure." He had secretly hidden the rest elsewhere.

As a Marquis of the Moon with extensive survival experience, Jude had long foreseen the dramatic changes that would occur in Mordway.

Therefore, to prevent any unforeseen circumstances, he did not hesitate to transfer his property after delivering the list to Grantham, leaving only a large amount of precious metals in the vault that were inconvenient to move.

"Could that old Jude really be a miser? What's the point of keeping so much gold in his vault? There isn't a single relic that can enter the general knowledge sequence, and the materials for nurturing spirits are even scarcer. Has he been saving money all this time in his thousand-plus years of life?"

"Or is this some kind of vampire custom?"

This was something that Melvis clearly found hard to understand.

However, time was of the essence, so he did not linger at Jude's residence. After the search yielded no results, he immediately set off back to the Star Abyss Academy.

A Raven Feather Apostle named Vivian roams the city of Mordway, which makes him feel only slightly safe when he stays around the remains of the gods.

"It's a pity... the noblewoman of the Sleeping Sand Bell Tower was abducted. Otherwise, she would have been the perfect sacrifice in the Tide Listeners' grand plan. The blood and bones of the ancient mythical creature would surely have given the Abyss a new lease on life, bringing it closer to completeness." Liu

Within the pale, chaotic sanctuary of bone stones, Melvis sometimes pondered, sometimes went mad, sometimes sighed, as if a bizarre puppet show was unfolding.

"Hmph, not enough, not complete, not yet perfect! How can we allow the greatest work of the Tide Listeners since the end of the era to appear in the world in such an ugly form? But if we don't do this, everything might be in vain..."

"The spineless cowards of the Royal Court of Galonsen, the crippled members of the Gate of Ants and Scales, and the unprincipled charlatans of the Misty Society—a bunch of unreliable and mediocre scoundrels! How could this cowardly and greedy mob possibly understand the long-cherished wish of the ancestors of the Abyss Sea?"

At this moment, he seemed to be making some kind of decision.

"Gunther activated the 'Living Corpse Protocol' ahead of time to protect himself, and Mordway should be in chaos now. How did they manage to do that? It's one thing that the two high priests couldn't break through Oak Shadow Nest in a short time, but to be on the safe side, I also transferred Bernhard over there..."

"As a result, they not only suffered a complete defeat, but also resorted to their ultimate means, disrupting my established plans."

Melvis was in a state of barely suppressed rage, and his every move exuded a sense of mania.

But he didn't seem to be in a hurry; everything he did was merely to vent his emotions and extricate himself from distracting thoughts as quickly as possible. Beneath his long, narrow, and sinister eyes, he was still pondering, weighing, and judging the current situation.

The White Cup's Exorcists and the Funeral Court's Purge Force, those madmen obsessed with annihilation warfare, have breached the research institute's defenses and are currently advancing rapidly within the facility. Despite the Tide Listeners' numerical and home-field advantage, they will find it difficult to stop them for long.

How did these guys suddenly appear in Mordway? Did they just spring up out of thin air?

Or did the Hunters and White Cups have a premeditated plan, secretly deploying a large number of spies to infiltrate Mordway and carry out armed infiltration before he even realized it? All this was to wait for him to launch a covert war...

Well, the living remains in the research facility have already been released, and the ritual arrays have all been activated. Those guys won't be able to reach the gates of the Palace of Corpses anytime soon.

Just then, a gentle voice, tinged with a hint of mockery, rang out.

"Oh, it's a pleasure to see you again, Mr. Academician."

"I didn't mean to bother you, and I hope you can forgive my uninvited visit. Um... it seems you're working on a very important project, which is really unfortunate."

Fran, draped in a moth-like robe, gradually appeared from the gray mist, and the light patter of her thick-soled leather shoes echoed throughout the vast Bone Stone Sanctuary.

"You really came... Vivian."

Melvis took a deep breath, his words carrying a hint of relief, as if he had anticipated the situation.

"This is unavoidable. After all, for you Raven Feather Apostles, any shadow, crack, or crevice can be a door for hiding and spying. But I don't understand, the Star Abyss Society had never shown any hostility towards the Six-Eyed Raven Order before this war, so why did you repeatedly interfere?"

　(}Transfer qUN:2∵九↓.崊%‰≤♀°⊙五□∫柶“Hmm…”

Faced with his questioning, Fran simply raised his index finger and wrapped his light-colored braid around his fingertip, as if he were carefully considering his words.

"That's true. I have no grudge against the Star Abyss Society. But just as living things are born with the need to eat, breathe, and beat their hearts, many times we do things without a reason."

"However, if you absolutely need a logically consistent explanation, I think a friend of mine can give you one."

As she spoke, she tilted her body slightly, revealing Xitia, who had just stepped out of the gray mist.

"Long time no see, Melvis."

"It's you, the ancient noble of Haiel."

Upon seeing Siodia, Melvis was briefly surprised, followed by an overwhelming and fervent joy. But all these emotional changes happened in an instant, and when he looked again, he had returned to normal.

Now that the nobles of Heir have already appeared, there is no need to waste any more words.

The grudges between the Tide Listeners and Heyle during the War of Destruction need no explanation, nor should they be elaborated upon in any way. Their positions were like the two ends of mutually repelling magnetic poles, making a head-on confrontation inevitable.

Compared to when she was imprisoned at the bottom of the Sleeping Sand Bell Tower, Xitia's spirituality and aura are now stronger than ever before.

She has broken free of her shackles and is receiving meticulous care from Dr. Fran in Fog Street... In addition, this noblewoman from Hyjal has also consumed some of the remains of the late King Hazmut in the fallen city of Morion, acquiring incomplete Apostle traits.

"Compared to your decadence, listlessness, and sickness when you were a prisoner, you are now breathtakingly beautiful. This is the proper demeanor of the ancient Lord of the Abyss, and it is no wonder that the ancestors were so infatuated with you."

Melvis praised him sincerely, his expression revealing undisguised admiration.

"So dazzling and magnificent, how could it not attract covetous eyes? It's as if the lowly see a flawless gem and not only try to possess it, but also imagine the heart-stopping moment when it shatters into dust."

"Just as we can use songs and praises to elevate a certain being to the altar, and then enjoy the tragic scene of its fall and utter destruction."

At this moment, the association president was in a state of self-absorbed frenzy, showing no fear in his expression or words, but rather trembling with excitement. He was reciting a monologue to himself, like an opera singer immersed in art.

Facing a Raven Feather Apostle and a Heir nobleman who had devoured the remains of the former king would be a desperate situation for any high priest who had climbed to the fifth rank.

But the madness and delusion that Melvis displayed at this moment was not the self-mockery of someone who had nowhere else to turn; he still had something to rely on, which made him fearless. In comparison, this could perhaps be described as "composure."

Unbeknownst to them, Derica and Lauris had found a secluded, shady corner to hide in, watching the standoff with a mixture of anxiety and barely concealed excitement.

Ms. Vivian, who is suspected to be an apostle, Melvis, the president of the Star Abyss Society, and Xitia, a noblewoman from the lost era of Heil... Each of them is a significant hidden entity beneath the surface of the world.

The fact that these nameless, lowly plunderers had the opportunity to witness such a clash between different levels was truly exhilarating. Their heartbeats and breathing became erratic and rapid, and it took them a long time to calm down.

“Melvis, you better have some other trump card besides your nauseatingly long-winded speech.”

"Don't make me take your life so easily, it would be too boring. Show me the ugly side of your struggle, you traitor's offspring."

Xitia's azure eyes narrowed instantly, her disgust and loathing almost overflowing.

Confined in the Ridge Prison for a thousand years, she thought her hatred had faded with endless forgetting. But upon witnessing the fanatical delusion of the Tide Listener leader, her long-dormant anger was rekindled.

Surging, turbulent, and surging, like the roaring and crashing of a storm in the deep sea.

It turns out that she had never forgotten even a trace of the devastating war; she had simply buried it deep within her bones and blood, encasing it in her very soul.

"Our trump card? — Of course, it will not disappoint our distinguished guest!"

Melvis let out a strange yet triumphant laugh, as if he too had been suppressing it for a long time. As the president of the Star Abyss Society, he had followed the blueprint laid out by the ancestors for countless years, and now the final moment had finally arrived.

“O noblewoman named Shiodia, this is the first gift I have prepared for you.”

"Stay tuned...this will be a joyous reunion."

As he finished speaking, the pale bone palace began to tremble and pulsate as if it were alive.

Then, the skeletal palace, made of jagged coral bones, extended its folded mouthparts like those of a spiky organism, from which a man clad in pale armor was "regurgitated".

He was handsome, tall, even imposing, and exuded an indescribable sense of oppression simply by standing. However, his eye sockets were dark and empty, and his skin appeared withered and emaciated like that of a corpse.

In addition, he is missing a little finger.

Without a doubt, this is a living corpse transformed from the former King Hezmut of Heil.

He still retained the extraordinary apostle's aura he possessed before his death, standing tall and unyielding even when betrayed and assassinated by the Star Abyss Society.

"..."

To Melvis's surprise, Siodia showed no surprise whatsoever; she simply sighed silently.

In fact, she had already anticipated this situation.

As the ultimate victors of the War of Annihilation, and having gifted Karmion a fragment of Hezmut's finger bone, the Star Abyss Society must possess the complete remains of their former king. Furthermore, the Tide Listeners are known for their penchant for manipulating corpses…

What will happen after this? A little imagination is all it takes to easily find the answer. (Four _ '"∽♀)

"I have longed to see you again, my esteemed elder brother. I am deeply grateful."

Gazing at Hezmut not far away, Sydia's gaze returned to its usual indifferent and detached expression. Her greeting also shifted to a rhythmic Old Gormouth variant from the Deep Sea Scriptures.

"May the late king rest in peace."

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soup!

Chapter 191 Crimson Aurora

Hezmut, now a living corpse, did not respond to Xitia's greetings and calls. He simply drew his sword slowly and blankly, pointing it at his long-lost kin.

His soul had long since vanished in the war of destruction, turning into dust drifting in the wind over the fallen city of Morion.

All that remains standing here is an empty shell, waiting to be buried.

As the light in Xitia's azure eyes flickered, her aura merged with Hazmut's, and in an instant, the two reacted almost simultaneously.

The late King's living corpse was the first to thrust out his double-edged straight sword, and Xitia immediately stepped back.

To ensure her movements were not hindered, she immediately used her tassels to hook up her pair of delicate high heels with silk ribbons, then removed them and lightly stepped barefoot onto the ground.

These high heels, a gift from Dr. Fran, are part of her vintage dress and their true value is immeasurable. While there's still some money to spare, it's best not to discard them carelessly.

The sword missed its mark, but Hazmut's undead did not hesitate for a moment, and in the blink of an eye, he had already swung the blade from his hand again.

The blade was as sharp as snow, its cold light chilling, and a strand of Xitia's hair was severed out of thin air.