"As for the location, even if you go through it all over again, you’ll find it hard to discover anything more valuable... You see, this piece of information only ntions the confiscated and leftover items, not the capture situation at all... From what I know, similar laboratories are often found in Silent Forest. Those wizards only conduct experints there and leave no traces."
"Moreover, you’re in luck, as this isn’t news that could be published."
The Wandering Wizard congratulated the Black Cat, raising his glass in acknowledgnt that the jade coins weren’t wasted, and took a sip of gin: "I suspect the hunter selling this information had other reasons, hence the set ti limit..."
If it could be published, it would have been in the newspapers days ago for Xin Fat Man to see; there would be no need for him to buy it now. The Black Cat nodded in agreent and lowered his head to lap up so goat’s milk.
"...But the focus isn’t on those masks, but rather on a few other photos."
The bar owner pointed at the photos related to the test subjects, his tone very certain: "This laboratory is conducting experints on demon flesh transplantation... Look closely, the fleshy sprouts on the necks, abdons, and backs of these test subjects show standard radial patterns, very symtrical. This is the classic morphology of mutation under the stimulation of demon flesh... Also, their eye sockets are shadowed heavily, that’s blood congested under their eyelids... Their eyeballs are veined with blood, I don’t need to emphasize that."
The Elder Wizard’s skeletal fingers slid slowly over the photos, patiently and ticulously analyzing the various inconspicuous details contained in the intelligence for the Black Cat.
Finally, he slowly withdrew his hand, cupping the glass, with an expression of nostalgic emotion on his face: "Truly an ancient and tenacious experintal approach... It’s an experint that has existed in this world since the first encounter of demons and wizards... Out of control, destruction, out of control again, destruction again... A rare success that draws countless people... An endless cycle. So call it persistence, but I prefer to call it ’obsession,’ like Protheus pushing the stone or the dog tied under the mask mountain, consuming countless tis, doing the sa thing repeatedly, yet expecting a different result."
"...Experinting with transplanting demon flesh?"
The Black Cat muttered softly, recalling what the teacher once told him—wizards transplant the demon flesh they hunt onto themselves, using sigils and spell formulas to control the spread of demon aura, completing magic power transformation through the stimulation of demon aura, eventually advancing.
However, in the Black Cat’s impression, the teacher also once said that due to the high risk of losing control, the magical skills related to demon flesh transplantation had already been sealed by the Alliance, strictly prohibiting wizards from using them.
"Within the school, there should be very few wizards who master such forbidden techniques," the Black Cat murmured, the stern and thin face of the Magic Script Professor imdiately springing to mind.
This was the only professor he knew who had once been involved in related research.
The Wandering Wizard caressed his glass, chuckling lightly, "Not just within the school, but even on the entire Buji Island, across the whole Mage Alliance, those who know and master such forbidden techniques are as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns... Each one can be said to have ’high status and virtue’... Tsk, I can almost already see the school managent’s struggles. Heh, heh heh... Probably the Great Wizard Conference will again boil over this ti."
The conversation was filled with schadenfreude.
The Black Cat flicked its tail in agreent.
Indeed, very tricky.
Any wizard qualified to study forbidden techniques is notable, with gray at their temples. All are pillars of the wizard world, with ties across the Alliance.
Suspecting them would lead to big problems!
Even if those old wizards are willing to reveal their innards in public, pick them apart, clean them, and let people see, but what about the school? Would the school disregard its reputation? And the Alliance, would it not care about its stability?
The Black Cat just thought about it briefly and felt this hornet’s nest was boundless—anwhile, it also realized that before those Ravens committed more egregious and terrible acts, the Assistant Team’s investigation could be about to end.
"Even if they conduct illegal human experints?" the Black Cat’s tone was sowhat somber.
The Wandering Wizard didn’t answer directly but tactfully gave an example: "Before Small Colma, Northern District Wizards were wizards explicitly stipulated in the Wizard’s Codex... But outside of the Northern District, who really treated them as wizards? Even among Northern District people, countless forgot their identities back then. The law is fair, but its fairness only exists among people of the sa class; and those wizards capable of establishing labs in Silent Forest happen to not belong to the sa class as the test subjects lying on the experint tables."
Perhaps only the Wandering Wizards who tread the line between darkness and light dared to talk about one of the Alliance’s most important foundations in such a mocking tone.
The Black Cat silently watched the parchnt that recorded the intelligence smolder and erge a wisp of blue smoke.
Watching it slowly and determinately turn into a pile of ashes, forming a small mound on the gleaming bar top. The three jade coins and one gold bean the Black Cat paid lay before the ’mound,’ like a silent offering.
The Wandering Wizard’s spindly fingers descended, sliding over the three jade coins, ultimately pocketing only one jade coin and one gold bean, pushing the remaining two jade coins back in front of the Black Cat.
"What’s the situation... there’s a discount?" The Black Cat shook its ears in surprise, but didn’t hesitate, swiftly stashing the two jade coins into the Ruby Ring.
"No, this is another transaction."
The Wandering Wizard tugged the brim of his Pointed wizard hat apologetically, giving the Black Cat a smile: "As the poem goes, you stand on the balcony watching the scenery, while people watching the scenery watch you... The Raven-related information you offered was known by so teaching assistants still privately investigating ’Ravens’... Before they smashed my wine cupboard, I sold the information you knew about Ravens to the Assistant Team again... These two jade coins are the reward for your information."
The Black Cat flicked its tail, feeling not agitated—in dealing with a Black Wizard, it had already prepared for possible treacheries—only sowhat reflective.
"Indeed, the old saying holds true."
The Black Cat lowered its head, lapping up a few more sips of goat’s milk from the cup, smacking its lips: "Carriage, store, inn, tooth, even the innocent should be killed... Sitting in a bar, listening to tunes, drinking, skimming two layers of oil in pass, hearing nurous little gossips... Tsk tsk, truly a heavenly life indeed."
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