Exploring Technology in a Wizard World

"Swish, swish, swish..."

Richard calculated for a long time, stopped his pen, and looked at the results on the papyrus scroll, muttering to himself, "Hmm, this time there shouldn't be any major problems, so let's try it again."

After speaking, he glanced at the corpse that had rolled to the floor, too lazy to walk over. With a wave of his hand, a spell was cast. He controlled the air to form an invisible large hand that picked up the corpse and placed it on the table.

"Kor... Rei... Tet..."

Richard recited the incantation, with free energy from the magic origin flowing out, operating in a specific order, finally releasing from his palm to react.

Richard pressed his hands down toward the head of the corpse for the second time, getting closer and closer, just about to touch when his body shook.

Clearly, the spell failed again, resulting in backlash.

Compared to the last time, this backlash was negligible, causing minimal damage, and Richard recovered with just a breath.

However, this did not prevent Richard's expression from becoming more solemn.

"Hmm... still no good, failed again. But judging from the extent of the backlash, it's just a little bit away from success. Where exactly is that missing part?"

As Richard spoke, he picked up the quill and began his third calculation. Meanwhile, with a wave of his hand, he controlled the air to push the corpse off the table, rolling several meters away.

"Swish, swish, swish..."

This time, Richard's calculation took especially long, lasting more than an hour. In the end, he forcibly wrote down a line of formula and arrived at a set of numbers, the tip of the quill almost piercing through the fragile papyrus.

Looking at the numbers, Richard's eyes lit up slightly, and he said with a very certain tone, "This time, there definitely won't be any mistakes."

After speaking, Richard made a gesture, using magic to bring the corpse that had rolled away back onto the table, laying it flat, and recited the incantation, pressing his hands down quickly.

"Ke... Roman!"

Accompanied by the final syllable, Richard's hands were completely pressed against the corpse's forehead, a warm energy emanating from his palms, quickly seeping in.

Richard's pupils shrank, his vision blurred, and vague images flashed by quickly. At the same time, a whispering sound, like an illusion, rang in his ears.

The first image showed the deceased old man Ford, curled up and hiding in an alley of Shambhala Town.

"Hungry, so hungry, is there anything to eat?"

The second image showed the deceased old man Ford, swaying as he walked along the road, stumbling towards the No. 13 Mine outside of Shambhala Town.

"Tired, so tired, I need to find a place to sleep. Also, I need to eat something, or I'll starve to death."

The third image showed the deceased old man Ford, sitting on a stone beside the road, panting for rest, when suddenly a black shadow darted past him, dashing into the distance.

"Hmm, is it a rabbit? Then I must catch it, I need to eat it..."

The fourth image showed the deceased old man Ford, shakily getting up, chasing after the vanished black shadow...

The fifth image...

The sixth...

...

Richard watched one image after another, finally removing his hands from the corpse's forehead, lost in thought.

The "Soul Echo" spell had taken effect, which was certain, as that's the only way so many clues could be obtained from the corpse.

From the clues obtained, it was also clear that the old man was not possessed. However, potential induction could not be ruled out, especially given the suspicious black shadow in the fourth image.

If... assuming the worst-case scenario, the old man's behaviors were under the control of a certain wizard, who was a member of the Truth Society, then some preparations needed to be made.

Richard quickly thought, his eyes moving, and in the next moment, he had an idea, swiftly leaving the laboratory and departing from Eden.

...

Upon leaving Eden, it was deep in the night.

Without much hesitation, Richard cast a spell, quickly dashing out of the Blue Lake Estate, flying towards Ash Academy where Bobbobovic resided.

Soon, Richard reached the location of Ash Academy and saw several relatively old spires standing under the protection of the walls.

Arriving at the main entrance of the academy, Richard knocked on the door and called out, "Wizard Vici?"

One call, two calls, three calls...

Inside, there was no response for a long time.

Richard raised an eyebrow, sensing something was wrong. He pressed his hands down, compressing a large amount of air toward the ground, then stepped as if on a retracting spring, leaping high. Like a bird, he effortlessly crossed the academy's wall, landing quietly on the ground inside.

Quickly standing up, the "Eye of Gaze" was already activated, scanning the entire academy. Richard locked onto Bobbobovic, finding him on the second floor of a spire.

He strode quickly, arriving in front of the spire, his arm tilting downward, a short wand sliding out and being grabbed in hand.

Lips slightly parted, Richard waved the short wand, pointing it at the wall, causing the surrounding air to become abnormally viscous.

Stepping onto it, his body parallel to the ground, Richard defied gravity, silently walking up the wall to the second-floor window.

Pausing slightly in front of the window, he peered through the murky glass and saw inside the room, Bobbobovic lying motionless on the bed, seemingly dead, with hardly any life aura felt.

Richard frowned, fully releasing his senses, ensuring no hidden enemies were around. He used his short wand to point at the glass of the window.

"Whoosh..."

A barely audible sound rang out as a large piece of the murky glass on the window directly melted into liquid.

Richard's body shrank, rushing into the room, landing cat-like on the floor, less than three meters from the bed where Bobbobovic lay.

Even at this distance, he still could not feel any life aura from Bobbobovic.

Richard's brows furrowed deeply with caution and alertness, approaching, ready to react to any attack. At that moment, it seemed to Richard that the Bobbobovic on the bed was very likely already a corpse.

But how did he die?

Killed by someone?

Who is the killer?

Was it the Truth Society?

Why would the Truth Society take action?

Is it possible that his and Bobbobovic's identities were exposed?

With various thoughts, Richard approached Bobbobovic, step by step.

Three meters, two meters, one meter...

Just as he was about to reach one meter, the Bobbobovic on the bed suddenly reacted, standing up straight like electrocuted.

"Ah!"

Bobbobovic let out a weird cry, waving his hand to launch an air missile, but missed the aim, just grazing Richard's body and hitting the wall behind.

However, this air missile was not an ordinary one. After hitting the wall, it didn't dissipate but exploded with a "bang," releasing a storm-like turbulent airflow, turning the whole room into chaos.

Bookshelves toppled, books flew up, ornaments crashed to the ground...

The scene was in complete disarray.

Bobbobovic didn't care about these, or there was no time to care, with agility far beyond usual, leaping into the corner box of the room.

With a "bang," the box was opened, and he quickly pulled out a handful of potions in glass bottles. Pulling the stopper from one of the potions, he poured the liquid into his mouth.

One bottle, two bottles, three bottles...

After Bobbobovic drank five potions rapidly, his peripheral vision swept past Richard who had infiltrated the room, and he froze in astonishment, pausing his drinking action.