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Page 76
"Ah."
Terence casually agreed.
-
Five days later, the Hunters' Order, Medical Court.
Marianne lay on her desk in her office, her face resting on a book, her eyes closed as she took a nap.
For the past few days, she has been working tirelessly to assist the Funeral Home in rescuing the 15 survivors trapped in the swaddling clothes of the [Birthday Banquet Hall]. In addition to conducting detailed pathological examinations on each person, she also has to use secret techniques to detect contamination.
In addition, a considerable number of corpses require various examinations. The workload is enormous and the process is extremely complex.
"Ding!"
The alarm clock rang crisply and somewhat noisily, and Marianne slowly opened her eyes.
She patted her cheeks to dispel the drowsiness of waking up, and casually tidied up her hair that had fallen loose from sleep.
Marianne was about to fix her makeup first, but when she looked up slightly, she found Heda sitting on a wooden chair next to the coffee table.
She was neatly dressed in a black, fitted nun's robe, her hands resting on her knees, her posture dignified and silent. She resembled a meticulously sculpted plaster sculpture.
Judging from her posture... it seems she's waiting for me to wake up?
"Little Haida, when did you arrive?" Marian rubbed the beauty mark at the corner of her eye, concealing her weariness.
"One hour ago." U
Heda had intended to use her lunch break to ask Marian for information about the survivors, but upon entering, she found Marian resting. So she waited quietly in the office.
"Hmm... let me guess, you came to me to find out about the survivors?"
"Yes."
In her interactions with colleagues, Haida was always straightforward and disliked beating around the bush to conceal her intentions.
Marianne's relationship with Heda was closer to that of family, so she was naturally used to Heda's habits.
"If it doesn't involve detailed personal information, there's nothing confidential. Let me think about what's more important..."
Marianne touched her lips with her index finger, recalling information about the survivors.
"Most of the survivors you rescued in the 'Birthday Banquet Hall' are residents of the South District, including several students from Norlington Central College. They all have some degree of post-traumatic stress disorder and their accounts of their past experiences are vague."
“If there’s anything unusual about them… it’s that they’re too ‘pure.’ Despite being kept in a heretical lair filled with flesh and corpses for so long, neither their souls nor their bodies show any signs of contamination or corruption.”
Haida frowned slightly upon hearing this, and then began to think in this direction. Nine
Dr. Fran, who was present at the time, also said, "The seedbeds in the [Birthday Banquet Hall] are pure and uncontaminated."
Could this be some kind of hint or clue?
"Hey..." Three
Marian approached Hedda, pressed her thumbs against Hedda's brows, and gently massaged them. (The brow crease was likely a tumor.)
"Frowning all the time will cause wrinkles. You're always like this; you make this face whenever you're confused."
Haida's tightly furrowed brows quickly relaxed under the rubbing.
Marianne clapped her hands, quite satisfied, and continued her story.
"Haidah. A religion that advocates transcendence of flesh and blood, the detachment of the physical body, and the abandonment of all morality and humanity in universal values... What in it could be pure and spotless, and intolerant of even the slightest filth?"
Upon hearing this, Haida's gray-chestnut eyes immediately narrowed.
She had the answer almost the instant she heard the question, but she thought about it again and again before speaking it aloud.
"Sacrifice."
"Hmm. Judging from the location and size of those flesh-and-blood beds, these survivors were sacrificial offerings awaiting use. But without seeing the specific prayers, we cannot determine what kind of ritual it was..."
Marianne yawned as she spoke, then prepared to leave the office.
"Haida, I have to go to the hospital this afternoon, so I can't keep you company. I'll put together a document with the details for you after get off work."
Marian has been so busy these past few days that she's barely had time to breathe. If it weren't for Heda, she wouldn't have stopped for even a moment.
"……Thanks."
It was obviously impolite to disturb someone during work hours. Haida lowered her head and thanked Marian with a hint of apology.
"You're welcome. Actually, the survivors just need to rest now, and the physical examinations are almost finished, so it's not as busy as before. It's just that there are too many unidentified bodies found in the sewers, and we can't do all the autopsies..."
"Oh, by the way, I have some new vanilla cookies in my cupboard, remember to eat them."
Marian waved her hand and hurriedly stepped into the corridor outside the office.
Heda pursed her lips slightly and remained silent for a moment. She had never really been able to handle Ms. Marian, who always saw herself as a child…
After a moment's hesitation, Heda opened her locker as Marian had instructed and took a box of vanilla cookies from the neatly stacked boxes.
-
[Prototype Chisel Ridge I (Failed Product)]
[Quality: Ordinary]
[Effect: It utilizes the flesh and blood technology of the Bloodlings' 'Black Abundance' school, the mechanical biotechnology of the Space Necromancers, experimental parameters from Rhine Lab (STRU Structural Engineering), and the gene programming technology currently mastered by Dr. Fran. (This product is highly dangerous and its use is not recommended; forced implantation into a living organism will lead to mutations.)]
[Note: "Clearly, there are insurmountable barriers between technological theories from different civilizations and worldviews, making integration extremely difficult; even she couldn't handle it directly."]
Fran looked at the detailed information of the finished product in his hand, chuckled, and then disassembled it again.
She was not discouraged.
Achieving this level of completion on my first attempt proves that I have no problems with the theory. It's just that I lack experience in some related fields… In academia, success is rarely achieved on the first try.
"Isn't the joint retraction module a bit redundant? After all, Bloodlings just hang their tails outside their bodies to walk... but having a long tail always feels a bit strange."
Fran extended his index finger and rhythmically tapped the table, producing a crisp tapping sound.
Besides practicality, she also had to ensure the product aligned with her aesthetic sensibilities. Some of the Dark Eldar's classic designs were too grotesque; she didn't want to look like she'd stepped out of a horror movie set…
Speaking of which, Fran's knowledge of [40K Medicine] also includes some Orc technology. The Ancient Orc part is relatively normal, but apart from that... nine out of ten things he can create are exceptionally crude and dangerous.
So she once tried to assemble an orc-style vehicle, but ultimately stopped at the step of "painting a dashboard or finding a sticker to put on".
Q: "Alright, let's start developing the second type. I'll have Sigrid bring me the spare arm later; two hands aren't enough..."
After a brief reorganization, Fran began to iterate on the product based on his previous experience.
n——
Chapter Seventy-Seven: The Moon's Favor
In Norlington North, at dusk.
The once-empty streets were now filled with pedestrians, and several police spokespeople were holding a press conference on the murder of a city hall official.
"The deceased in this case, Carney Meredith, belonged to the engineering department. When his body was found, his skull was fractured, brain matter was spilled out, and his upper teeth were severely damaged. Based on the investigation of the scene, it is believed that he fell and his head hit a metal ornament, resulting in accidental death."
"The evidence from the investigation is clear, and the family members are in stable condition. The City Hall Police Department hereby announces the case is closed."
The middle-aged police officer Liu spoke fluently in an official tone on the podium, surrounded by a group of media reporters holding old-fashioned cameras and recording equipment.
"Officer Raymond! According to the servants at the mansion, Carney is a notorious molester who, during his tenure, repeatedly used his position to coerce young men into submission and even kept child prostitutes... Is this true?"
A female reporter with waist-length black hair raised her microphone and asked the police spokesperson the first question.
Raymond's eye twitched slightly, and a bead of cold sweat silently rolled down his cheek.
After a moment of silence, he finally gave a direct answer, without replying with the classic "no comment."
"...is basically true."
This case is very strange.
The Hunter Order, which should have intervened forcefully, remained indifferent, while the Meredith family, which should have reacted strongly, remained as calm as still water, abandoning Karni without hesitation and showing no intention of protecting their own.
Was it a trade of interests, or a covert confrontation? Raymond had no way of knowing. He was just a police inspector and had no desire to get involved in the conflicts of those behemoths.
"Did the city hall investigate Carney beforehand? Why did they only react after his accidental death and the exposure of his crimes? Did the Meredith family cover up his previous actions?"
The black-haired female reporter fired off a rapid and sharp barrage of questions.
“Carney’s coercive methods were rather covert, and no one had reported it before. Our investigation into him has been in the evidence-gathering stage. As for the family-related situation… Meredith’s management has already issued a statement of condemnation against him. Details will be published in the Norrington Evening Post in the coming days.”
Raymond answered the difficult reporter's questions cautiously, his forehead already covered in fine beads of sweat as he spoke.
The police department is subordinate to the city hall, which is controlled by the Meredith family, so Raymond's work must avoid infringing on their interests.
But the entire city hall was under the suppression of the Hunters Order, so he couldn't possibly risk offending those fanatics...
Caught in the middle, Raymond could only proceed with extreme caution.
Fortunately, the somewhat unfamiliar black-haired female reporter stopped asking questions, and he was able to conclude the press conference in an orderly manner according to the established procedures.
This made Raymond breathe a sigh of relief. After the meeting, he touched his back and found that he had been soaked with cold sweat.
The black-haired female reporter disappeared into the deepening night along with the surging crowd.
……
"Meredis's indifference to such a stain that could clearly damage the family's reputation suggests the Hunter Order is putting a lot of pressure on her. Hmm... could it be that the hunters have found something to use against her?"
Rosalie gently stroked her dark blue hair and put her camera and phonograph equipment back into her bag.
She then took a city map from the envelope containing the letter of authorization and spent some time finding the location of "Norlington Central College".
"Sigh, it's been so long since I've been back. I can't even find the school anymore, even though I've been here for four whole years. Hmm... cross Moonburton Street, turn left at the first intersection, and that's the main gate of the college..."
After some time, Rosalie entered the academy. Following the directions in the secret letter, she asked passersby for directions until she arrived at the reception room of the White Cup Order. Three
"Is there anyone?"
She knocked politely on the door, and it opened.
Professor Terence looked at Rosalie, who was dressed as a reporter outside the door, and after a brief examination, confirmed that she was today's guest of honor.
"You are Rosalie Noralia, the 'messenger' of the Moon Familia?"
“It’s me. Professor Terence.” Z
Rosalie raised her neck, revealing the "Rebirth Moon" emblem on her neck. The crescent moon pattern had silken cocoon-like patterns, like a cicada shedding its skin.
"Please come in." After confirming her identity, Terence invited her into the house.
Rosalie was a graduate of Norlington Central Academy, so it was normal for her to know herself. The Moon Familia and the White Cup Order already had a close relationship, so there was no need for much pointless small talk between them.
She came here for two reasons: first, to gain a deeper understanding of the nameless vampire clan; and second, to dispel any suspicions surrounding the Moon Familia, resolve any potential misunderstandings, and uphold the Moonbeam Oath.
"Professor Terence, where is the body of that nameless vampire?"
As soon as she sat down, Rosalie got straight to the point, asking who was responsible for the incident.
"It'll be placed in this room. It was just moved here yesterday from the morgue of the Hunter's Medical Court." N
Terence casually pointed to the rectangular coffin placed on the nearby counter.
Taking the vampire corpse from the hunters was by no means easy; these hunters were exceptionally persistent when it came to the ownership of their spoils. Any attempt to take their prey would be met with displeasure.
Fortunately, the negotiations with the White Cup were handled by the Medical Court this time, and signing a sharing agreement resolved the issue. If it had been the Funeral Court, the situation would likely have been much more complicated…
Rosalie walked to the black coffin and opened the lid. As the corpse was revealed, her expression grew serious.
"Oh, Moon of Rebirth, above me..."
Even after undergoing preservation and embalming, this corpse could still be described as "grotesque".
A huge gash stretched from his face to his abdomen, the cut surface covered with dead flesh, still connected by threads.
All the contents of its abdominal and cranial cavities, including organs, were removed, leaving the sac empty.
Rosalie stared at the gruesome corpse, a chill running down her spine. If the vampires hadn't defected to the Moon Goddess during the Moon's betrayal, she'd probably be on the Funeral Court's blacklist right now.
"Did he encounter a seasoned hunter before his death?"
"To be precise, the person he encountered was the head maid of the funeral maids, Heda Moira. I was there at the time."
Terence explained calmly, his expression as still as a deep well.
Don't be so surprised, it's just a corpse.
Terence himself is an paleographer who spends his days traversing lost ruins and frequently dealing with ancient corpses.
Moreover, after the mortician's simple preparation, the body has begun to resemble a human, and is far less horrifying than it appeared in the birthday banquet hall.