Chapter 1074: Chapter 43: Radiation Theory
[...Monsters hunt humans due to human nature. Monsters need human nature to survive, just as flames need wood to burn.]
Lu Li put down the quill pen.
Sterling’s death has left the theory of human nature lacking subsequent experiments, making it difficult to continue supplementing. Although speculation and conjecture can be used to perfect human nature, they lack authenticity.
After a moment of thought at the desk, Lu Li placed the quill pen back into the ink bottle.
Completing the theory of human nature is no longer a priority now that I’ve advanced to a higher level; what Lu Li needs now is to continue improving the level of Mysticology and to familiarize with the rules of the trunk area.
He closed the notebook and put it into the drawer.
The sound of the drawer being pulled caught Naxi’s attention, who was mending a cloak under the fluorite lamp, then continued mending.
It’s been a day since the investigation of the pollutant notes. The inability to save Lannar is unfortunate. After learning that the notes were being used by the victims to harm each other for nourishment, the Holy Light Squad destroyed them.
Or rather, Lu Li destroyed it.
If it were the Holy Light Squad, they might have sold or preserved it—perhaps it could have been used as a weapon one day.
Kiluat felt the destruction of the pollutants was somewhat wasteful, but they had no objections, as this was indeed what an exorcist would do.
Lu Li didn’t tell them he could steal human nature, because Professor Chris prohibited it. She instructed Lu Li not to disclose the ability to seize human nature to anyone.
So when the notes struggled and trembled in Lu Li’s left hand before finally burning and turning to ashes, the Holy Light Squad was unaware of Lu Li’s substantial gains: the pollutant notes brought Lu Li human nature slightly inferior to that of a wraith.
This human nature originated from the victims.
Although endowed with considerable human nature, the notes were as weak as ghosts, like the best food in the eyes of monsters—humans.
This prompted the thought that one day, when the notebook pages are filled, might there be a new change?
Today is a rest day after the mission. Kiluat, Yege, and Naxi are all resting in the lounge. In the afternoon, Lu Li donned a cloak to visit Professor Chris’s office.
Knock knock knock—
"If it’s Lu Li, please come in, others come back another day."
Professor Chris’s languid voice came from behind the door.
Lu Li pushed the door open and entered. The Alchemy Office showed no sign of Professor Chris, only a glass of wine with a bewitching hue near the fireplace, from which her voice arose: "Dear, I’m meeting an old friend in the restricted zone. On the table are things Vita left for you. Not very practical, but of great commemorative value."
Retracting his gaze from examining the office, Lu Li approached the desk.
A horn exuding a primitive aura like a rhino horn, an oval-shaped clay bottle, and a landscape photograph.
Considering Vita’s hobby and museum exhibits, these three items come from different civilizations—the last one from human civilization.
However, Vita misunderstood one thing—Lu Li is not interested in the history of civilization, even if he can feel the weight of history from these treasures.
Lu Li looked at the final item on the desk.
"This is a notebook Sterling left behind, with some interesting content inside." Professor Chris’s voice emerged from the wine glass at this moment.
Lu Li reached out his left hand, picked up the notebook, and turned to the page marked by a bookmark.
[The experiment succeeded... How should I name this substance... Light? No, light itself is radiation... Radiation? Why do I know this word, oh thank you, Lu Li! Yes, radiation, this substance is called radiation... No! This is not a substance! It’s just called radiation!]
[Pollution is radiation, breath is radiation, this is a new discovery as well as human nature!]
[No... not at this time... shut up, you bastards! Let me finish writing before taking me away! Listen, remember this word, radiation. All existence has radiation. Divinity, monstrosities, us, even beasts, trees, stones... do you understand? Stop arguing! We are polluted by monstrous breath because of radiation, we are polluted by strange meat also because of radiation, and our long-term contact with monstrosities results in distortion also due to radiation! I have already found... my hand... damn it!]
The originally skewed writing suddenly turned more scrawled, and Lu Li could barely discern the remaining symbols.
[Shield, radiation, not, pollution]
By blocking and eliminating radiation, humans will no longer suffer from pollution.
This is the embryo of a great theory.
It’s a pity Sterling couldn’t hold on to perfect this theory. In some sense, he was lucky yet unlucky—discovering the human nature theory and radiation theory in the last stages of life, yet disappearing into the long night before perfecting them.
"Yes, I sometimes wonder if Sterling could have held on a little longer... I’ll suggest adding science to the curriculum when the dean returns. What’s your suggestion?" Professor Chris’s sigh coincides with her timing.
Lu Li’s black eyes left the notebook and fell on the wine glass in front of the fireplace.
"Of course, I’m not here, hoping you aren’t cute enough to be talking to me."
Lu Li surmised that the wine glass should have recorded some kind of perceptive deposit message.
Without giving more release to messages, Lu Li put down the notebook and left the Alchemy Office hearing Professor Chris’s "see you in a few days, dear" voice.
...
Holy Light Squad lounge.
Kiluat sat on the bed reading a book, Yege ate food at the round table, and the outline of Naxi sleeping faintly appeared behind the curtains of the bed.
Lu Li’s return made Kiluat lift his head and put down the book.
"Ready to accept new tasks?"
Lu Li’s gaze moved away from the book belonging to Margaret: "When."
"One day of rest is enough... I think it’s tomorrow morning."
"I have no objections."
Yege, quietly eating, responded with a line.
"Yawn... me too." Naxi’s bed slightly shook, and the silhouette inside sat up.
Lu Li nodded under Kiluat’s gaze.
"Shall I accompany you to the task hall to pick a task?" Kiluat asked.
"Not for now."
Lu Li returned to his bedside, placing the books borrowed from the library on the bedside table. Kiluat quickly left, donning a cloak to hide his identity—as time goes by, the attacks targeting the Holy Light Squad resurged.
Kiluat took slightly longer this time; Yege was about to go looking for her when she returned.
This time the task location was still on the outskirts of Midnight City, investigating a family of three suspected of believing in the ghouls’ deity, with a basic reward of 1 credit and 2 squad points.
While the squad was still honing their teamwork, Kiluat aimed to make the effort worthwhile.
Although, by no means, battling humans using the Golden Sword and Shield would lead to heavy losses.
Kiluat’s gaze lingered on the sleepy-eyed Naxi and paused on the expectant gaze from Yege before finally falling on the calm Lu Li.
"Setting off at dawn tomorrow."
...
In a dim, lightless, damp, cold corner, a silhouette quietly lurked in the darkness.
Ominous whispers flowed gently with the sound of water dripping.
"This is a good opportunity... He’s gone..."
The silhouette slowly rose, stirring a surge of darkness, with an abominable aura swirling around.
Whispering murmurs continued, fading into inaudibility with the breeze.
"Lu Li..."