Jeming plunged into the laboratory, tirelessly researching the secrets deep within the body of the Magma Giant.
Day and night, without fatigue, ti seed to lose its aning for him.
However, the several-days-long "research frenzy" was finally broken by the "ding-ding——" notification from the Magic Network Terminal.
Jeming, looking slightly bewildered, lifted his head from the ocean of data, instinctively opening the Magic Network Terminal by reflex.
At this mont, his highly active brain was still calculating data and experintal information related to the transformation of the Magma Giant.
The ssage was from David.
The other party concisely stated that he had completed his promotion to Second Level Wizard and sent this ssage specifically to thank Jeming for his earlier transformation of the Elorcia Plane's indigenous people.
These transford indigenous people had helped him fulfill his past promise to the sage of the Elorcia Plane.
Jeming blinked and only after a few seconds did he co back to his senses.
He then realized that unknowingly, since the last communication with David, he had been researching for decades!
"No wonder," Jeming murmured softly to himself, his fingertips gliding over the research records on the light screen, "the research progress on the biological evolution of the Magma Giant is already near its end; it turns out so much ti has passed."
But imdiately, Jeming's brows furrowed sharply.
He suddenly felt... as if he had overlooked sothing extrely important.
Instinctively, he began to flip through all the ssage records on the Magic Network Terminal.
Those unread ssages, ignored for decades, rushed into his already highly active brain like a tide.
After a long while, Jeming finally realized the unsettling anomaly that made his heartbeat quicken: Amy and Victor hadn't sent any replies since their departure for military service many years ago!
Instinctively, Jeming wanted to send them a greeting ssage.
But as his fingertips touched the send key on the light screen, a line flashed up automatically, cold and blood-red in its automatic reply:
[Target account: Victor Salario, confird 'dead' status.]
[Target account: Amy Grey Sparrow, confird 'dead' status.]
Boom!
In an instant, Jeming felt as though struck by lightning.
His whole body, as if hit hard, beca instantly rigid in place.
Despite Jeming's powerful brain activity, he still felt bewildered for several minutes after seeing this ssage.
His brain, capable of handling vast amounts of information, was at this mont blank, unable to grasp the aning of the words before him.
Afterward, he forcibly suppressed his shocked disbelief, with trembling fingertips, unbelievably continuing to inspect.
He deeply queried the terminal's underlying specific records regarding their deaths.
Soon, he found the true cause of their deaths.
[Mission Code: 'Nest of Whispering Stars', plane warfare mission.]
[Reason for mission failure: Technical error in indigenous people psychological guidance layer, plane core conquered was detonated by indigenous population's 'self-destruct chanism'.]
[Casualties: Participating Wizard Squad, all perished. Victor Salario, casualty number: XXXX. Amy Grey Sparrow, casualty number: XXXX.]
[Remark: Both encountered plane self-destruction energy explosion, judged completely deceased according to contract response. Considering lack of remains, it is suggested the academy initiate the honor compensatory chanism.]
Upon confirming the authenticity of the death news, Jeming found that he was montarily unsure of his inner feelings.
Pain? Sadness?
Possibly, his chest felt as though sothing blocked it, making breathing difficult.
But it didn't seem to be as severe as described in novels.
Jeming astonishingly noticed that the predominant emotion in his heart at this mont was a profound bewildernt and misunderstanding.
It was as if his brain, capable of researching complex formulas and theorems, suddenly couldn't interpret the cold information on the light screen.
Death?
Those two, beca dead just like that?
After a long ti, Jeming, sitting in the comfortable chair, staring at the ever-flashing death ssages on the light screen, finally ca back to reality.
His instinctive response was to stand up to do sothing!
Anger?
Revenge?
Or, to go confirm this void-like death?
But then he sat back down in a slump.
If it were the previous life, perhaps he could still attend his friends' funerals, offering a final farewell.
Or visit their hos to console their relatives.
But in this world, wizards seem to lack such customs.
More cruelly, Jeming suddenly realized he didn't even know whom he could tell about this matter.
For wizards, death is all too common.
So much so that their concept of it is worlds apart from Jeming's.
Moreover, even though Jeming had known Victor and Amy for many years, he knew nothing about their family situations.
He wasn't even sure if they had any family mbers.
It was only at this mont that Jeming truly realized that, despite having been in this perilous Wizard World for so many years, deep down, he was still the ordinary person from his past life.
He still held onto the most primitive and purest obsession with life and friendship that ordinary people have.
Sitting on a chair, Jeming remained motionless and thought for a long ti.
In the end, he sent Viola a ssage about Victor and Amy's death.
Because he rembered that back on the Elorcia Plane, Amy seed to have ntioned that Viola was a friend of her parents.
To Jeming's surprise, shortly after he sent the ssage, Viola swiftly made a communication request.
Jeming hesitated for a mont, but eventually accepted the call.
Seeing Viola's sowhat mocking face appear on the screen, Jeming suddenly regretted telling her about it.
"Oh~~ dear junior~" Viola's malicious voice bood from the communicator, "This is so rare! Your pained expression over the death of friends is one in a million among the wizards I know! It's honestly— quite satisfying to watch!"
Hearing this, anger surged in Jeming's heart.
He clenched his fist tightly. Although he was sowhat angry, reason told him that Viola's reaction and words represented the most 'normal' reaction to life and death among the veteran wizards of this world.
Pain is his own concern and unrelated to others.
In fact, if you're not familiar, no one would care at all.
"No, proper wizards wouldn't really feel joy just because of my pain." Jeming looked at Viola and quietly added to himself.
Imdiately, a "thud" sounded from the screen.
It seed Viola was abruptly pulled away from the screen and tossed aside.
Then, the familiar and authoritative voice of Professor Clark ca through the background, carrying a trace of helplessness and fatigue: "Viola! Stop fooling around! Quickly finish organizing today's data!"
Afterward, Professor Clark's unkempt and slightly balding face replaced Viola's on the screen.
Compared to Viola's schadenfreude, Clark's expression was much more normal.
Without a hint of mockery, he simply and calmly examined Jeming's sowhat downcast and confused appearance.
Then Clark's hoarse voice ca through the screen:
"This is because you're too 'immature' right now. Jeming, your current mindset ans that at heart, you're still an ordinary mortal, not a truly mature wizard."
"But it's nothing to worry about. After experiencing a few more of these situations, you'll beco a truly mature wizard."
Hearing these seemingly harsh words from Clark, Jeming felt a warm surge inside: "I'm sorry to bother you, Professor..."
He looked at Professor Clark on the screen, his eyes filled with gratitude.
He knew very well that Viola taking ti from her busy schedule to reply to him and provoking him in such an "improper" way must have been with Professor Clark's permission, or even his arrangent.
Moreover, the speed at which the two replied was certainly no coincidence.
This surely ant they were constantly concerned about his psychological state.
However, wizards are indeed not good at comforting people.
So the two of them might have only been able to try to lighten his sadness and disorientation in this unique wizardly way to help him transform quickly.
Professor Clark's rough-looking face didn't stay on the screen for long.
After analyzing Jeming's current state, he simply nodded at Jeming as if handling a trivial matter, and then decisively cut off the communication.
Only before the communication completely terminated, Jeming could still hear Viola's rather miserable wail.
Staring blankly at the screen that had suddenly gone dark, Jeming blinked a few tis.
The laboratory returned to its usual silence, the only sound being the faint hum of the alchemy instrunts.
Yet sohow, after Viola's sharp "mockery" and Professor Clark's calm "lecture," the chaos in his heart caused by his friends' death had inexplicably eased a lot.
It was a peculiar feeling, as if a heavy boulder pressing on his heart had been roughly and directly pried open, allowing a sliver of sunlight to shine through.
Shaking his head, Jeming temporarily suppressed those chaotic thoughts, trying to imrse himself back into the research on modifying the Magma Giants.
Professor Clark was right; for wizards, the pursuit of knowledge is the eternal the.
Ultimately, any emotional turbulence will be smoothed by the river of ti.
(Extra update, one more chapter to co.)
User Comments
0 comments from readers