Chapter 314: Promotion and Reassignment

Chapter 314: Promotion and Reassignment

In the dead of night, the laboratory's blue mana lights glowed with a ghostly coldness, like the eyes of the dead.

Luo En stood before the Experiment Table, holding a small crystal vial containing Franca's blood.

Through the crystal walls, the droplet of deep red liquid shimmered with an unsettling dark purple hue under the lights, as if countless microscopic tentacles writhed within.

"Begin analysis."

"Ink" stirred from dormancy, its black gelatinous body beginning to writhe in rhythmic pulses.

Luo En carefully dripped the blood onto the slime's surface.

Instantly, the laboratory's temperature seemed to drop several degrees.

"Ink's" reaction was more violent than ever before.

Its body violently contracted, then rapidly expanded, silver patterns across its surface flickering erratically.

"Fascinating."

Activating "Transcendent Perception", Luo En observed through the skill's unique vision.

To his eyes, Franca's blood was no longer simple crimson liquid, but a complex, layered structure:

The outermost layer bore standard Dragon Kind characteristics - powerful vitality like burning flames dancing within the blood;

The middle layer thrummed with shadows and dark element essence, black mana threads slithering like snakes, carrying ancient and dangerous implications;

And at the deepest level...

Luo En's pupils constricted.

Deep within the blood, he saw things that shouldn't exist.

Twisted, unnatural manaforms radiated the chaotic essence of the Abyss.

"This isn't just Dragon Kind bloodline."

Murmuring to himself, his mind rapidly analyzed this discovery's implications:

"Preservation Clan... I see. They're not preserving pure bloodlines, but refining something 'seasoned' by the Abyss."

Suddenly, "Ink" emitted a piercing shriek.

A resonance that directly vibrated through their spirits.

The slime's body convulsed violently, as if enduring immense pain.

Luo En immediately sensed danger.

Franca's blood shadows were reacting uncontrollably with the laboratory environment.

Worse yet, his Solar mana began activating autonomously, as though sensing an ancient predator's threat.

Mana in the air grew turbulent, experimental instruments on the table emitting ominous hums.

Two opposing mana attributes colliding in this confined space could lead to catastrophic consequences.

"Damn it..."

Luo En activated the emergency Isolation Array, but it was already too late.

The yin-yang mana conflict exceeded conventional protective measures' capacity.

The entire laboratory began trembling slightly, runes along the walls flashing dangerous red glows.

At this critical moment, "Ink" made an unexpected move.

Rather than continuing analysis, it fully expanded its body.

Like a vast net, it wrapped around the unstable blood droplet at its center.

Countless intricate patterns surfaced across the slime's body.

This wasn't something Luo En had taught it - an instinctive protective mechanism activated in its moment of crisis.

The cost was severe.

"Ink's" body became transparent and fragile, its once-gleaming silver patterns now dim and lifeless.

To protect its master and laboratory, it had absorbed the full impact of the opposing mana conflict.

As the mana storm subsided, the laboratory returned to silence.

Luo En stood amidst the wreckage, gazing at the near-lifeless "Ink."

"Record experiment data."

Quickly addressing the Recording Crystal in the corner:

"Sample Number Ω-001, origin: Kadu Clan bloodline.

Experiment result: Severe mana conflict. Unsuitable for direct fusion.

Conclusion: High-tier bloodlines with opposing attributes exhibit essential rejection. Alternative solutions required."

While administering nutrient solution to the weakened slime, he gently stroked its fragile body, his voice filled with concern:

"Thank you, partner. Rest well."

As he prepared to clean the experiment site, Ai Lan's soft knocking echoed from the door.

"Master, Eveprince has delivered some research materials."

"Come in."

Ai Lan entered, her emerald-clad figure especially vivid under the mana lights.

Her eyes swept over the laboratory's disarray, but she asked no questions.

As Luo En's assistant, she'd long grown accustomed to various "experimental accidents."

"From Franca?"

Taking the exquisite crystal box, he noticed a small note attached.

Eve's delicate handwriting read:

"Mentor, these are mother's early research notes. They might illuminate new directions.

Additionally, Franca expressed interest in your experiment results. She said if you require more samples, she'll provide detailed bloodline analysis reports.

- Eve"

"Seems they anticipated some of my research progress."

A smile tugged at Luo En's lips. The so-called Preservation Clan and its ancient bloodline connections ran deeper than he'd imagined.

Opening the box revealed an exquisitely-bound research manuscript.

The cover, crafted from some unidentified ancient leather, emitted faint warmth when touched, its embedded runes glowing softly.

Most striking was the central insignia - a tilted hexagram, Cassandra's personal mark.

"Life Essence Reconstruction Theory"

Merely seeing the title filled Luo En with anticipation.

After confirming no hidden dangers, he cautiously turned the first page, immediately captivated by its content.

"Life's essence lies in information transmission and reorganization. Every bloodline factor serves as both witness and recorder of life's history..."

"Traditional bloodline formulation merely performs simple edits within existing frameworks, like modifying notes on a predetermined musical score. Bloodline reconstruction, however, composes an entirely new symphony..."

The deeper he read, the more inspiration surged through him.

Cassandra's theoretical framework was remarkably rigorous, each concept supported by detailed experimental data.

These theories almost perfectly aligned with the advanced direction of his "Bloodline Shaping" skill.

[Bloodline Shaping (proficient) experience points +1]

The Profession Interface prompt made Luo En realize this manuscript's value surpassed his expectations.

It meticulously described bloodline reconstruction's three core stages:

Stage One: Information Deconstruction

"Disassemble bloodline factors into their most fundamental information units, akin to breaking a book into individual letters.

This process requires extreme precision - any information loss could lead irreversible consequences..."

Stage Two: Potential Awakening

"Every bloodline contains dormant genetic fragments far beyond surface expression.

Through specific stimuli and guidance, these long-dormant segments can awaken..."

Like awakening a Dormant giant, it brings hope yet carries immense risks..."

Third Stage: Structural Reorganization
"Reconfigure the bloodline information according to the new blueprint, creating a more powerful and stable new bloodline.
This step is the core of the entire process, determining ultimate success or failure..."

However, the final section of the manuscript weighed heavily on Luo En's heart:
"Theory may seem perfect, but practical challenges exceed imagination.
I conducted seventeen complete experiments, achieving partial success three times—with only one reaching the anticipated effect..."

"The greatest obstacle lies in the absence of reference samples.
Bloodline reformation is like mapping uncharted territory—you must know the destination's precise location to chart the route.
Without a high-Rank bloodline as a 'template,' every attempt becomes blind men grasping at an elephant..."

"My success hinged on obtaining a fragment of Dragon Kind lineage from the Second Era.
Though no larger than a fingernail, its complete genetic information provided invaluable guidance..."

Cassandra had added a smaller line in the manuscript's margin, written in ink of a different color:
"The cost was six experimental subject deaths. Each failure meant another life extinguished—an unbearable burden I cannot shake..."
The ink bled slightly, the trembling script suggesting this note came much later.

Luo En stared at those words, memories flashing of the "volunteers" who'd perished on the Experiment Tables. In this mage's world, every step forward in knowledge demanded payment in blood and bone.
Yet judging from Cassandra's current demeanor, she showed no trace of lingering remorse over those test subjects' deaths...
As Uther warned, her transformation had been thorough indeed.

Closing the manuscript, complex emotions flickered across his face.
Only time would tell if he, centuries hence, would view these journals with unfamiliarity and ridicule.

"Without a sufficiently stable high-Rank bloodline sample as a template..."
Pushing aside the tangled thoughts, Luo En gently traced the manuscript's cover, already formulating solutions in his mind.
"Looks like joining the Abyss Observatory and checking Professor Eutel's networks remains the priority."

He carefully stored the manuscript in his Storage Bag, then began dismantling the experiment site.

...

By morning, the Crystal Spire's administrative hall buzzed with applicants.
Clad in a new black mage robe, Luo En sat in a corner observing the crowd—a researcher's habit of gleaning insights from details.
Across from him sat a pale young man missing two fingers on his right hand, a mark of alchemy gone awry. He sought to transfer from hazardous experimentation to safer theoretical research.
Nearby, a silver-haired Elderly Guardian argued with a clerk—seeking early retirement after years of dangerous duties. The guardian's eyes carried the weariness of one haunted by past missions.

This was the Crystal Spire's true face: beneath academic prestige lay countless sacrifices.

"Luo En, please approach Window Three."
A crisp voice interrupted his observations.
The clerk, a woman in her twenties with golden curls and emerald eyes dulled by mana exposure, stamped documents efficiently.
"Congratulations on your promotion. Based on your contribution record and academic evaluation, the School Committee has approved your appointment as Lecturer."
She handed him a new mana-infused ID card glowing faintly.
"Effective today, you gain Level Three Research Privileges and Level Two Teaching Privileges. Higher privileges mean stricter Confidentiality Requirements and Behavioral Standards", she added, her tone shifting.
"Especially during this Special Period—any misconduct will face severe consequences."
Luo En caught the veiled warning. Cassandra's return had indeed shaken the school's foundations.

"I'll adhere strictly to regulations", he replied, accepting the card.
"Regarding the Abyss Observatory application..."
She retrieved another document from her drawer, its cover marked by an ominous symbol—a single eye surrounded by writhing tendrils.
"Approved. You're assigned to the Material Analysis Department, studying Abyss samples."
Her voice turned grave. "I must emphasize the Observatory's extreme hazards. Even 'safe' roles face frequent accidents."
She slid a thick manual across the desk. "Safety Protocol Guide. Read all 1,372 recorded Abyss contamination symptoms and emergency countermeasures. Most are incurable—but this might preserve your rationality long enough to avoid becoming a monster."
Luo En noted the crimson warning script on the cover, the ink undulating like blood under mana influence.

"Your supervisor is Professor Eutel. Report at 8 AM two days from now. And..." She hesitated. "If you have unfinished matters, settle them before starting. The Observatory's fatality rate isn't as high as Abyss Exploration—but it's far from safe."
Her words chilled him, sharpening his resolve.

Leaving the hall, he paused at the Memorial Wall—fresh names etched into black marble.
"Edwingray, Materials Analyst, died from Abyss Spore Infection..."
"Monica Blake, Intern Researcher, perished due to spiritual contamination-induced Self-Destruction..."
"Thomas Venn, Senior Analyst, cause unknown—found fully aberrated..."
Each cold inscription whispered the Abyss's brutal reality.
Luo En lingered, memorizing every name—not for mourning, but as a reminder. On the path of knowledge, a single misstep could earn him an eternal place among these stone-carved legacies.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end