The eccentric doctor never makes a misdiagnosis!

Page 34

"what on earth is it?"

Haida looked around and realized that she was probably the only one among everyone who was completely unaware of the current situation.

“Oh, Sister Heda, that’s not hard to explain…”

“Sister, this is easy to understand…”

Fran stopped abruptly halfway through her sentence because she heard someone interrupting, which was very impolite.

From the shadows beside the throne, a "Dr. Fran" who looked exactly like him stepped out with light steps.

But when Haida looked in that direction, she found nothing. It seemed that the person only existed in Fran's eyes.

"Then I'll leave it to you to tell me."

Fran glanced irritably at herself as she emerged from the shadows of the throne, then began her explanation. Although the words were still coming from her mouth, it sounded as if someone else in the distance was speaking…

"After becoming a higher being, Ivani's divinity once threatened to overwhelm and obliterate her ego. And gods can possess multiple pasts... So my initial treatment plan was to collect all the 'endings' that could solidify Ivani's humanity."

“Last time I did it almost perfectly, but I didn’t expect an unexpected change to happen… and I didn’t collect the Mad Fire specifically at that time, so you got it for free.”

Fran, from the past, gave a soft hum and then began his narration again.

"Furthermore, there is a law governing the borderlands. Until the treatment is fully completed, 'I cannot take anything from the borderlands.' This causes my memories of entering the borderlands to be hidden... leaving only the basic knowledge I already knew."

"Is this why you left clues on the replica teardrop and the golden mask?"

Haida finally understood the cause and effect of the whole incident. She immediately felt a sense of relief; the problem that had long troubled her finally had an answer.

Fran frowned and rejected his previous answer.

"Objection! Since we are on different paths of fate, everything should have restarted after my arrival, leaving no trace whatsoever. How did you leave any clues?"

"The world will restart, but I won't. I only need to tamper with myself... The clone teardrop, after imitating me, will read a specific segment of my thoughts. The golden mask, upon seeing me, will understand the essence of the Golden Law. Their subsequent reactions will be the best warning to you."

"Lani has already become a deity, while the Dragon King is himself caught in the cracks of time."

The Fran of the past chuckled, amused by the displeased look on his future self's face.

"The imitation teardrop first asked about four possible endings: 'Birth of Death,' 'Curse,' 'Decline,' and 'Madness.' At this point, you roughly determined that the ending you were destined for was either 'Perfect Law' or 'Star.' After the golden mask crushed the Great Rune, you realized... that you were walking on the fate line of the stars."

"Now, all six destinies have been gathered. My dear Ivani, have you found the 'humanity' you need within them?"

The rhythm of Fran's speech now and in the past gradually overlaps, eventually converging into one.

On the throne, Ivanni shimmered with a faint starlight as she looked at the two men, and at her own partner.

The indifferent expression that had never changed throughout his body vanished like melting snow, and then a clear, faint smile quietly appeared on his lips, followed by a cool tear stain.

"Yes, I felt it... the vibrant emotions I had when I was alive. Those were the days of the nameless, faded. Thank you... Dr. Fran."

['The Faded One' Ivennie's 'Severe Dissociation' has been cured. This quarter's crossover visit is complete, completion level: Apollyon (Abyss). Your next crossover visit will trigger at the end of the next quarter.]

[This consultation fee includes: 1 unknown biological raw material and 1 unknown biotechnology. (Flawless quality. Unidentified)]

-

Chapter Thirty-Six Mechanical Creatures

Norrington, the Hunger Club.

Haida clearly felt the swirling mist enveloping her, but the dense, almost dripping mist gradually dissipated after a moment.

She looked around, somewhat confused, but only saw the familiar dark corridor and Vivian, who was full of surprise.

"Team Leader Haida, you're finally back! The reinforcements are on their way... Do you know how I spent those five minutes while you were missing?"

Vivian approached Haida, her eagerness tinged with a hint of pitifulness, almost as if she wanted to give her a hug.

"Perhaps there was a problem with the fogging that Dr. Fran used for passage... but it quickly returned to normal."

Haida was also somewhat surprised by the strange phenomenon of the pale mist earlier.

Moreover... although the fog clearly lasted only for a fleeting moment, she, enveloped within it, experienced an extremely profound sense of its length. It was as if, in a gap unnoticed by her consciousness, she had experienced a forgotten period of time.

"Ho... Ah!"

Huo Wen, the "Suffering Walker" who had been twisted in a ball on the ground, stood up shakily.

While Vivian waited for Sister Heda, he completely lost his human consciousness and became a monster. However, a cultist without a self cannot achieve the near-ascension to "sainthood," because he is unfit as a sacrifice. Thus, he can only degenerate into some kind of lesser evil heir.

"Watering, drinking deeply, cleansing, transforming, enduring countless hardships, sacrificing to the Holy Grail... Ah ah..."

Huo Wen was delirious and unconscious, mechanically repeating the ascetic's teachings. But even that became intermittent under the influence of extreme pleasure, and he was almost unable to maintain his body.

But just before his complete collapse, his pale nerves solidified into bone in his hand, and a sharp bone spear, whistling through the air, was hurled at Haida.

"Watch out, Team Leader Haida!"

Vivian sensed Huo Wen's intention to attack and, while issuing a warning, began to fire her gun.

Although he had fallen into the realm of a lesser evil heir and was on the verge of collapse, Hoven's physical strength still remained at the level of a high priest. If this attack landed, it could still be fatal.

Haida didn't dodge. She casually reached out and grasped the long handle of the bone spear, dissipating the force with an impeccable backflip, and smoothly spun it around before throwing it back.

The bone spear pierced through Huo Wen's chest with such force that his entire body shattered into pieces.

"Um……"

Vivian silently watched the scene before her, a scene of extreme violent aesthetics, and suddenly realized that her earlier reminder had been somewhat unnecessary.

Haida's expression was also somewhat strange.

Although she did not feel a substantial increase in strength, her adaptability to the modification surgery and her muscle response seemed to have improved by several levels.

“Sister Haida, Agent Vivian, are you alright? Are you injured? Where is the half-body of that high priest 'Afflicted Wanderer'?”

Clement, the leader of the support force, quickly assessed the two men's condition and, after confirming there were no obvious external injuries, inquired about the details.

"Where that guy is now... that's a bit difficult to explain. Well, these wriggling lumps on the ground are him."

Vivian breathed a sigh of relief and began her routine report. As a Secret Service agent, this was one of her strengths.

Anyway, thankfully, at least Haida didn't disappear... so I won't be tortured in front of Supervisor Alvin for not being able to deliver on my promise.

Clement glanced around and noticed the white, four-pronged nerves wriggling in the shadows. His expression instantly hardened with alertness.

"I see. What about the contracted physician? I haven't seen her. Was she... killed in the battle?"

As he inquired, he signaled to the support team behind him to begin setting up the three types of rituals: [Dissolving Evil]. This was a slow-acting and simple ritual that could be easily performed by a single person, provided the materials were prepared. It was generally used to neutralize contaminated products after contact combat with evil offspring.

"She left after assisting us in killing the ascetic high priest."

Heida briefly reported Fran's whereabouts, then her expression changed, vaguely recalling Fran saying before leaving, "The attack has only just begun." But that was clearly only said a few minutes ago; the memory should be clear. This inexplicable sense of disorientation... where did it come from?

"Mr. Clement, are these heretics only appearing in the Hunger Club?"

“That’s not the case,” Clement explained solemnly.

"The Norlington Central Museum and the headquarters of the Order of the Spirit Hunters were both attacked. Although we were on alert, our losses were not significant... but they came on strong, as if they didn't care about the losses of the general believers at all."

"Sister Haida, you have just experienced a high priest-level close combat operation. How is your physical strength and supplies? Do you need any extra rest?"

Haida shook her head slightly, rejecting his suggestion.

"No need. Please allow me to get to the combat zone as quickly as possible."

“Alright. Some of our support troops will remain here to ensure the ritual completely neutralizes the Hunger Club area. Sister Heda’s group will return to headquarters with me.”

"..."

Vivian watched silently as the group leader, who had just dealt with a high priest, effortlessly dragged her into the next battlefield, and it seemed no one cared that her primary role was that of an intelligence agent...

She pursed her lips slightly, recalling the strange expressions of relief and pity on the faces of her seniors in the Secret Service when they learned that she had been assigned to the Funeral Home.

Oh well, I'll just be hanging on Sister Heda's lap anyway... and occasionally hanging on Dr. Fran's lap as well, so it doesn't matter.

-

Headquarters of the Hunters of Mysteries.

"Such high casualties, such reckless tactics... it's truly frustrating. What exactly are these superstitious cultists who worship flesh and blood plotting?"

From his observation post atop the headquarters tower, Director Alvin watched with a heavy gaze as the writhing tentacles of evil offspring charged toward the outer defenses. The flesh and blood inhabited by these evil spirits were rapidly pulverized into pools of carnage amidst the roar of gunfire, turning the entire defense line into a gigantic millstone of flesh and blood.

But those who have transformed from ordinary believers continue to emerge in the shadows, like an endless tide.

"These lunatics have invested ten years, no, at least twenty years of accumulation... but so far they haven't even touched the edge of the outer defense line. It's a complete waste of time... What exactly is their intention?"

"Each wave of evil offspring isn't large, but they manage to maintain a continuous offensive and blockade. They're actually using piecemeal tactics in a siege? What's wrong with them?"

When your arch-rival suddenly employs an extremely foolish tactic, you should start to wonder if they have ulterior motives. Just like in Go, if your opponent places their first stone on the center point (tengen), it's highly likely they've made a move…

"We can't get in touch with Yaheng either. Where did that paranoid guy go at this critical moment...?"

"Ka!"

A clear and melodious crow cawed, and then a crow slowly landed on Alvin's outstretched, thick index finger.

"The raven from the Secret Court... it's a message from Vivian... 'We encountered Dr. Fran and a half-ascetic high priest at the Hunger Club. The ascetic is dead, Fran has left, and we suffered no casualties.'"

Alvin's furrowed brow relaxed slightly; this was good news. But the situation remained unclear.

"With that doctor present, this outcome isn't surprising. But, is the Red Cup something even a high priest would use to die?" *Sigh*

-

Norlington Central Museum. (Liu)

Professor Terence looked at the nearly crazed evil offspring, his gaze cold yet tinged with doubt. These horrifying creatures were currently tearing and gnawing indiscriminately, friend or foe, creating utter chaos.

"They organized an attack, but there was absolutely no established offensive system, and the leader never showed up... They probably came here specifically to die."3

"Child, what do you think the mastermind behind this is really planning?"

Beside him, Child, holding an unusually large sniper rifle, was concealed in the shadows by the window, intently searching the combat zone for a leader-like figure.

"Teacher, if you ask me, could this be a 'sacrifice'?"

Child looked away from the scope and responded to Terrence with some uncertainty.

“That is certainly possible. But if this was indeed a sacrificial ritual… then the scale is simply too large. And where exactly did they inscribe the ritual array?”

Terence also leaned toward Child's intuitive answer.

But the problem is... this process doesn't match any known large-scale Category II rituals. If this conjecture is true, then the Red Cup followers are probably performing a lost "Category I ritual."

That means the ritual contains a forbidden divinity, and that if it is completed, an irresistible power will descend.

Amid the carnage, crimson blood, along with bone fragments and jelly-like pieces of internal organs, gradually flowed into the dark sewers, a thin, continuous stream.

-

Foggy Street Clinic.

Compared to the tense atmosphere elsewhere, this small clinic, still lit by its yellowish lights at midnight, remained as quiet and peaceful as ever.

Fran finished his bath comfortably and, after changing into his brand-new doctor's gown, strolled around the living room. His pale, frosty ear feathers lay damply on his hair, as if he had just dried them with a towel.

"It's raining? Norlington is clearly not on the coast, and it's rare to see such cold rain in early July."

A thick, swirling fog rolled in from outside the window, and under the torrential rain, the sky seemed to hang upside down, the dark clouds so heavy they looked as if they were about to collapse.

Fran's eyes were slightly closed as he listened quietly to the howling rain, his expression unusually relaxed. Could there be anything better than snuggling in bed, wrapped in blankets, and transforming into Snorlax on a day when it's pouring rain outside? This was the purest form of enjoyment…

"Let's unpack the fee from the last house call before bed. What would 'flawless' level raw materials and technology be like?"

【Mechanical Search≥◇q羣ˉ≠：％∮々＂「←柶∵∮3×∴弎⊙鈴鸣制生物（来自空间箰灵）】

[Quality: Flawless]

【效果：您的‘机械义体技术（10.1％）’将被统合入‘械制生物学’，折算后解析度为7.1％。掌握手册之内的技术后‘40k医学’上升3％，‘械制生物学’上升10％。】

[Note: "Because I was too afraid of the Ancient Ones, I maxed out all my technology."]

This "technical manual" is a small holographic projection device. It has multiple interfaces, seemingly for information transmission... Although Fran also wanted to try being directly filled with knowledge, she didn't like having a brain-computer interface installed on herself, so she had to give up.

"I finally got a mission with an Apollyon-level completion score, but the flawless quality skill was ribs..."

Fran sighed, clutching his chest and heart area slightly, feeling a kind of blissful vexation.

Although she was very interested in the knowledge in the manual, the technology of the Necromancers was unparalleled in its complexity, and since all the theories were based on the purely material level, the level of obscurity increased almost exponentially. Even deciphering just a tiny fraction of the information was enough to take away a large amount of her healthy hair.

This reminded her of the wonderful time she spent so much effort interpreting Chernes's "Essentialism," a time that brought back a deep sense of nostalgia...