I Pioneered Scientific Magic

Ladak surveyed the chaotic scene inside the laboratory, then looked at the heavily injured Coleman and the several dead guards. His gaze finally settled on the half-beast lying on the ground, seemingly lifeless.

"It was Thimis... It was all Thimis's doing!" Bok cried out as he rushed to Ladak's side, shouting loudly, afraid of being held responsible.

Ladak paid no attention to Bok's ranting. Instead, he walked straight to the strange half-human, half-beast creature, reached out, and carefully examined its head. After about a minute, he coldly inquired, "Who is Thimis?"

Lynn immediately stepped forward. "I am Thimis... I report to you, Lord Ladak, as Boke said, I was the one in charge of this experiment."

Seeing Lynn's confession, Bok and Patti both breathed a sigh of relief. They were most worried that the blame would be placed on them.

Bok even revealed Lynn's unauthorized use of the Fire Lion Elixir.

The apprentices in the room all looked at Lynn with pity. Making unauthorized changes to the experiment and causing such chaos was a significant offense.

However, Ladak's reaction was not what they had expected. He spoke in a calm tone, "Where is the experiment report?"

"Here, Lord Ladak!" Lynn stepped forward and handed over the experiment records. He knew he had made the right bet. Ladak didn't care at all about the out-of-control experiment, the damage it had caused, or the deaths of the guards. As long as results were produced, none of that mattered.

Ladak reached out to take the report. On the pale, withered index finger of his right hand, there was a ring – the token used for identity verification by the Faceless.

Lynn quickly averted his gaze, maintaining a composed demeanor. While Ladak reviewed the experiment records, Lynn explained, "Lord Ladak, through the experiment, I discovered that the modified Troll Elixir has high activity and could potentially worsen magical energy repulsion reactions. That's why I adjusted it to use the Fire Lion Elixir."

As Lynn spoke, Ladak continued to flip through the experiment report. After he finished reading, he looked at the group of apprentices present and asked, "Who proposed using the Troll Elixir for the experiment?"

"It was me, Lord Ladak..." A middle-aged, stout apprentice, trembling and pale, stepped forward.

"So, because of your mistake, seventeen valuable experimental subjects were wasted..." Ladak's tone was icy.

The stout apprentice turned even paler, and his whole body trembled uncontrollably. He already had a sense of what punishment he would face. He panicked, seemingly losing his wits, and attempted to flee through the open window.

However, Coleman reacted faster. His injuries didn't hinder his actions, and he swiftly rushed to grab the stout apprentice by the collar. He forcefully pulled him back, slammed him against the wall, and delivered a powerful punch.

Thud!

The muffled impact sound and the screams rang out one after another. Accompanied by the clear sound of bones breaking, the overweight apprentice was battered by Coleman, his face swollen and blood streaming.

"Ah, ah, ah... I was wrong, Lord Ladak... Have mercy!"

The stout apprentice lay on the ground, writhing in pain. Bok and the others were frightened, watching as Coleman brutally beat his fellow apprentice into unconsciousness. A few guards quickly surrounded him and tied him up.

Ladak watched all of this in silence. Finally, he turned to Lynn and asked, "You did well this time, Thimis. Is there anything you want?"

"I want to become your assistant, Lord Ladak!" Lynn spoke without hesitation. He had no concerns that Ladak would suspect him. After all, since Nur's death, every apprentice in the room had been vying for this position, trying to gain Ladak's favor and secure a promotion.

Ladak didn't provide a direct answer but said, "Coleman, send some people to clean up this place and lock the test subject in the dungeon. As for you, Thimis... come with me!"

The apprentices in the room had now realized that the recent experiment's turmoil was not just an accident. They looked at Lynn, their faces filled with envy and jealousy.

Bok was utterly dumbfounded. He had implicated himself to escape blame, only to watch Lynn bask in Ladak's favor. He was filled with regret.

Amidst the various gazes, Lynn followed Ladak deeper into the castle. They stopped in front of a high wall in the basement.

Ladak raised his staff and lightly touched the wall. Ripples spread, and a door suddenly appeared on the otherwise empty wall.

The massive door automatically swung open, revealing a spacious underground chamber, even more extensive than the castle's front hall. The decorations and furnishings had an ancient, weathered look, radiating a sense of age.

In the center stood a colossal statue, about two meters in height, with a silver-gray hue, masterfully and intricately crafted, resembling a lifelike figure.

As they entered, torches around the chamber lit up one by one, illuminating the dim underground space. Lynn now noticed that on both sides of the chamber were numerous coffins, each containing a body. The sheer number made him wonder if he had stumbled upon a morgue.

This sight put his guard up to the maximum, and Lynn began to wonder if Ladak had already uncovered his true identity.

Should he make a move...

Lynn was torn between two difficult choices. It was just him and Ladak in the chamber, a perfect opportunity, but the countless bodies in the room made him feel uneasy.

"Let's get started; show me your abilities," Ladak suddenly spoke.

Lynn instinctively started to conjure white phosphorus flames to strike Ladak. Then he realized Ladak was referring to the small, child-sized body on the examination table nearby.

Realizing his mistake, Lynn quickly adjusted his mindset and picked up a nearby dagger, walking to the examination table.

This area was much brighter than the rest of the chamber, with a palm-sized sapphire embedded in the ceiling providing illumination for the entire examination table.

After clearly seeing the body's features, Lynn's expression subtly changed. He realized that the person lying before him was Ralph, who had been attacked a few days ago and taken to the security office by Leah and others!

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