Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Gaetano recorded Arcadi's apology in its entirety in a crystal.

This record will be sent to the archives of the Industrial Alliance, the Reform Alliance, and the Grey Tower Academy—becoming a permanent historical document.

Anyone who tries to deny what happened today will be doing so in vain.

"very good."

Gaetano nodded in satisfaction, then turned to a new page of the document:
"Now that the issue of the apology has been resolved, we need to discuss the specific compensation terms."

He looked at Ron: "Associate Professor Ralph, please state your request."

Ron stood up and walked to the map of Twilight City.

His finger traced across the map the areas marked as "damaged":

"Twilight City suffered enormous losses in this incident."

"The underground water system has been damaged; repair costs approximately 800 magic stones."

"The council chamber and surrounding buildings are damaged; reconstruction will cost approximately 1200 magic stones."

"Economic activity has stalled due to panic, with an estimated loss of 2000 magic stones."

"Compensation for civilian casualties, approximately 500 magic stones."

He turned around and looked at Alcadi's projection:

"And most importantly—the materials I personally consumed, the specialized weapons I developed, and the life-threatening battles I fought against marquis-level powerhouses in order to protect this city."

"These intangible losses are conservatively estimated to be worth at least 5000 magic stones."

His voice grew colder and harder:

"In conclusion, I demand compensation from the Heart Clan..."

"A total of 30000 magic stones."

The moment the number was announced, the entire council chamber fell silent.

Thirty thousand magic stones.

This can't be described as just "huge sum"; it's an astronomical figure.

Although the Heart Clan is the top clan with abundant wealth, it would still be a significant blow to them to produce 30,000 magic stones at once.

Alkadi's face instantly turned ashen.

"This is extortion."

He spoke slowly and deliberately: "Blatant extortion."

"The actual loss to Twilight City was less than 10,000 magic stones, yet you're asking for 30,000?"

“Ron Ralph, your greed disgusts me.”

Ron paid no attention to these accusations, and simply smiled faintly:

"Your Excellency, you are mistaken."

“This is by no means extortion; on the contrary... it’s called ‘risk compensation’.”

He walked back to the head seat and sat down again, his demeanor as composed as if he were drinking tea in his own living room.
"You have sent the most powerful Marquis, Alex Valentine, who is considered a top fighter even among the royalists."

"How much did I sacrifice to defeat him?"

"Specially developed contaminant weapons, the consumption of precious materials, and the risk of being torn to shreds in a life-or-death battle with him."

"Shouldn't these be included in the cost?"

Ron's tone became even sharper:
"Or does Your Excellency believe my life is worthless?"

This rhetorical question left Alcadi speechless.

According to the unspoken rules of the vampire clan, defeating a powerful enemy does indeed entitle one to spoils of war.

"Too much."

Arkadi gritted his teeth and said, "We can only provide a maximum of 10000 magic stones."

"Twenty-eight thousand." Ron refused to back down.

"Thirteen thousand!"

"Twenty-five thousand."

"Fifteen thousand! That's the bottom line!"

Arkadi's voice was filled with obvious anger: "Don't go too far!"

Ron touched his chin as if he were thinking.

In fact, he already had a target in mind—between ten thousand and twenty thousand was the most reasonable number.

Asking for too much will cause the other party to turn against you completely; asking for too little will make you seem easy to bully.

"Since the Duke is so sincere..."

He slowly said, "Then 15000 magic stones."

"but……"

He raised a finger: "Payment must be completed within three years."

Arkady pondered for a moment, then finally nodded: "Acceptable."

Gaetano immediately wrote down the clause and then looked at both parties:

"So, what about the three moles?"

"Ivan is insane, Alyosha is dead."

Ron said succinctly, "Their bodies can be returned to the Heart Clan."

As for Serafina…

His gaze became meaningful: "She's still alive."

Alkadi was somewhat surprised.

Although Seraphina was a mole sent out, she was still a clan count.

"Serafina can be returned to the Heart Clan."

Ron's words made Alcadi's eyes light up.

But the next sentence froze his smile:
"But in exchange, she must undergo memory erasure."

"All memories of the core secrets of Twilight City must be erased."

Alkadi is in a dilemma.

Rescue a count whose abilities have been impaired, or give up entirely?
After a long silence, he sighed and said, "Memory erasure is acceptable."

"But there is one condition: the scope of the cleanup must be strictly limited to 'Twilight City Secrets' and cannot involve her personal abilities and knowledge system."

"I need a finance elder who can still work, not an idiot who can't even do addition and subtraction."

Ron nodded: "No problem, I will ask Lord Gaetano to supervise the entire cleaning process to ensure that it is not overdone."

The old dwarf accepted the task: "I will personally oversee it and ensure fairness."

Another payment has been agreed upon.

But the real challenge comes next.

Gaetano cleared his throat, his tone becoming unusually cautious:

"So, what about the fate of Alex Valentine?"

Everyone present understood that this was the most sensitive and difficult part of the entire negotiation.

Alcadi spoke first again, his voice clearly showing fatigue:
“Alex is a marquis of our clan and a warrior who has fought for the clan for hundreds of years.”

"Although he failed this time, we still have hope."

He looked up and stared directly at Ron: "He can return fully."

"A complete return."

Ron repeated the word:

"Does the Grand Duke mean he wants both the head and the body?"

"Yes."

Alkadi nodded: "We are willing to pay a reasonable ransom for this."

Ron stood up and walked to the corner, where the Shadow Whistle was quietly floating in a display case.

"The head can be returned; I have no interest in keeping a talking head."

Alcadi breathed a sigh of relief.

But the next sentence made his heart sink to the bottom:
"But the body"

Ron turned around and pointed at [Shadow Sentinel]: "I've already transformed it into the guardian of Twilight City."

"Its current value far exceeds that of an ordinary marquis."

"It can continue to evolve. As my research deepens, [Shadow Whistle] will become stronger and stronger."

"Ten years from now, it may be a marquis-level title."

Fifty years from now, it might approach the level of a grand duke; a hundred years from now... who knows?

"Therefore, Your Excellency the Grand Duke."

Ron sat down again, placing his hands on the table with his arms crossed.
"Why should I return such a useful and potentially powerful weapon of war to you?"

Alkadi's face turned extremely ugly.

"Then what do you want?"

He gritted his teeth and said, "Name your price, but don't try to rip me off."

"It's not about money."

Ron shook his head: "Your Excellency, some things are priceless."

“I can return the head, immediately, right now.”

"But the return of the body."

He held up two fingers: "I need him to serve for two hundred years."

"what?!"

Arkadi's projection distorted with emotional turmoil: "Are you kidding me?"

"Two hundred years? By the time Alex gets his head full of bones, it's probably rotten to the bone!"

"You're essentially killing him!"

A murmur rippled through the conference room.

The representatives of the industrial alliance looked at each other in bewilderment;

Rogers, a reformist, wore a gloating expression—with the death of a royalist marquess, they lost one less formidable enemy.

Ron merely frowned at Alcadi's anger:

"That's your problem, not mine."

There was no sympathy in his tone:

"If the Heart Clan has a way to sustain his life without a body, then he should figure it out himself."

"To cultivate clones, find replacement bodies, or develop new types of life support devices."

"These are all your own business."

“If not,” Ron shrugged, “then just accept reality.”

Negotiations reached an impasse.

Arkadi stared intently at Ron, his chest heaving violently, clearly trying his best to suppress his anger.

But he also understood that anger wouldn't solve anything.

The other party holds absolute initiative, and he is in the wrong but cannot resort to force.

The participants were all on the other side, leaving me with no choice but to accept it.

Just when the atmosphere was at its most tense, Gaetano suddenly spoke:
"Gentlemen, please allow me to say a few words."

The old dwarf stood up and walked between the two sides:
"I understand both sides' positions, and I also understand your difficulties."

"The purpose of negotiation should be to reach a consensus and find a win-win situation, not to fight to the death."

He looked at Ron: "Associate Professor Ralph, two hundred years is indeed a long time."

Then he turned to Arcadio: "Your Excellency, it's not very realistic to return it immediately."

My suggestion is...

He held up both palms, indicating a number: "Eighty years."

"Eighty years?" they both asked at the same time.

"Yes."

Gaetano nodded: "Associate Professor Ralph can use Alex's body for eighty years."

"Eighty years from now, my body must be returned no matter what."

"And as compensation."

He looked at Alkadi:
"The Heart Clan can provide some valuable experimental materials to assist Lord Ron's research."

"For the next eighty years, the Heart Clan will be responsible for maintaining the life of Alex's head. This is your responsibility to your people."

Both sides fell into deep thought upon hearing this proposal.

For Ron, eighty years of usage rights were enough.

By then, the Marquis-level combat power of [Shadow Sentinel] would indeed no longer be so important to him.

For Alcadi, eighty years may be a long time, but at least there is a clear timeframe for return.

Moreover, while maintaining the life of a head is difficult, it is not impossible, provided resources are invested.
"We can accept the proposal put forward by His Excellency Gaetano."

He began, "But I have a few conditions."

“Tell me about it,” Ron gestured for him to continue.

"First, the right to use the body is limited to 'defensive purposes'."

Arkadi emphasized: "You cannot use Shadow Whistle to proactively attack other vampire clans, especially the Heart Clan."

“Acceptable.” Ron nodded. “I never intended to use it to invade others.”

"Second, if the body suffers severe damage within these eighty years."

Arkady's voice turned serious: "You need to take responsibility for the restoration and ensure it is returned intact."

"this."

Ron pondered for a moment: "It depends on the definition of 'severe damage'."

"If it's normal battle damage, I will do my best to repair it."

"But what if it encounters an unavoidable force—such as an attack by a Grand Wizard—leading to the complete destruction of the body?"

He spread his hands: "That's beyond my capabilities."

"Third, and most importantly."

“Alex’s head must be returned immediately.”

"no problem."

Ron readily agreed: "I'll have it prepared right away. Silas, go and fetch Alex's head."

Silas nodded and left.

A few minutes later, he returned carrying a specially made crystal container.

Inside the container, Alex's head floated in the nutrient solution.

That once ferocious face now looked unusually calm, its eyes closed as if it had fallen asleep.

But when the container was placed on the table, those eyes suddenly opened!

"Grand Duke."

Alex's voice was hoarse and weak: "Save me. I...I am..."

"Shut up."

Arkadi's voice was chillingly cold: "We'll settle the score when you get back."

Alex’s head visibly trembled, then he closed his eyes again.

Just as all the terms had been agreed upon, and everyone thought the negotiations were about to end, Alkadi suddenly spoke:
"Sir Ralph, now that we have reached a basic agreement..."

His tone became sincere, a stark contrast to his previous arrogant attitude:

“I would like to make one more collaboration proposal.”

Ron raised an eyebrow: "Go on."

"Regarding the 'anti-mania drug' you developed."

Alcadi looked directly at Ron:

"That revolutionary potion that can suppress frenzy while preserving most of the vampire's power."

"I hope that the Heart Clan can have the right to share in the results."

The entire council chamber fell silent once again.

No one expected that Alkadi would make such a request at this time.

"It's not the formula, it's not the core technology."

Alkadi quickly added, "We just want priority in purchasing the finished product, and a relatively reasonable price."

He adopted a very humble attitude: "We are willing to pay a sufficient price for this."

Ron remained silent.

He understood Arkadi's plan—although the operation in Twilight City had completely failed, they could still gain a share of the potion.
That at least partially achieved the original goal.

Moreover, acquiring technology as a "partner" is far more respectable than forcibly seizing it, and it will not provoke more hostility.

"Retreat to advance, and exchange cooperation for survival."

Ron thought to himself, "The Grand Duke is indeed the Grand Duke; even in the most disadvantageous circumstances, he can find a way to turn things around."

After thinking for a moment, he spoke:
"can."

This straightforward answer surprised Alcadi slightly.

"But I have conditions."

Ron raised three fingers: "Three conditions, none of which can be missing."

"First, the cardiac clan must provide sufficient clinical data."

Arkadi nodded: “Acceptable. Our clan has thousands of members, which is enough to provide a sufficient sample.”

"Secondly, the Heart Clan must assist me in fighting off interference from other forces."

Ron's eyes sharpened:
“I know your relationship with the ‘Tooth’ clan is delicate, but at least in the affairs of Twilight City, I need you to remain neutral.”

Arkadi hesitated: "This...is a bit difficult."

"I cannot fully control the actions of the other clans."

"I'm not asking you to turn against other clans."

Ron explained, "Just make sure you don't side with them when it really matters."

"You can manage not to attack us, right?"

Arkady considered for a moment, then finally nodded: "I will keep my men in check."

"Third, and most importantly."

Ron's voice became unquestionable: "The power to price and distribute the potion will always be in my hands."

“You have priority to buy, but you cannot keep it all to yourself, nor can you resell it to other clans.”

"The whereabouts of every dose of medicine must be reported to me."

"If anyone is found to have violated this rule."

His eyes were like knives:

"The cooperation will be terminated immediately, and all the previously purchased potion formulas will be modified by me to render them all ineffective."

This condition is quite demanding.

This is tantamount to firmly binding the Heart Clan to Ron's chariot—if you want the potion, you must abide by my rules.

This condition practically puts the initiative in Ron's hands.

He not only controls the production and pricing of the medicine, but also oversees its use.

From a business perspective, the Heart Clan is in a completely passive position.

But after thinking about it for a long time, Alcadi finally nodded:
“…I accept.”

Because he had no other choice.

The threat of madness hangs like a sword of Damocles overhead, ready to fall at any moment.

Being able to obtain a stable supply of medicine is already a stroke of luck amidst misfortune.

As for pricing power and distribution rights... once the Heart Clan obtains the finished product, there are plenty of ways to conduct reverse engineering.

Although it may not be cracked in the short term, with continued investment of resources, we will eventually master the core technology. At that time, the initiative will naturally return to our hands.

Both sides were well aware of these calculations, but neither dared to voice them.

Gaetano inscribed the final contract on the recording crystal.

At this point, all terms and conditions were finalized.

The old dwarf held the recording crystal high above his head:
"As a witness of Gray Tower Academy, I hereby declare..."

"This contract is now officially in effect!"

The crystal burst forth with dazzling light, and the contract terms transformed into countless tiny runes, scattering like snowflakes and ultimately merging into the depths of the souls of every participant present.

This is the binding force of the soul contract; once violated, the soul itself will suffer the consequences.

Arkadi's projection began to fade.

He looked at Ron, remained silent for a moment, and then spoke:
"Ron Ralph, you've won this round."

"Whether on the battlefield or at the negotiating table, you... achieved a complete victory."

"As an opponent, I acknowledge your strength."

"but……"

Alcadi held the gemstone ring in his hand:
"The game has only just begun."

"The world of blood is far more complex than you imagine, and the world of vampires is far more complex than you can see."

"Royalists, reformers, and those lone wolves lurking in the shadows..."

"They're all watching you."

"Especially when your potion is truly widely available, when your influence spreads throughout the entire vampire society..."

The edges of the projection begin to crumble:
"You will find that the Heart Clan is merely the most docile of adversaries."

"I am looking forward……"

His voice gradually faded into the distance:

"Our next confrontation."

The projection disappeared completely.

In the council chamber, only a faint aftershock of magic lingered in the air.

"call……"

Gaetano let out a long sigh and slumped into his chair:
"It's finally over."

He took off his goggles and rubbed his temples with his rough hands:

"Negotiations at this level are more exhausting than forging a high-level weapon."

After saying that, he suddenly burst into laughter and patted Ron on the shoulder forcefully:

"Well done, kid!"

"Compensation of so many magic stones, Seraphina's memory erasure, the eighty-year right to use Alex's body, and the initiative in the potion cooperation..."

The old dwarf counted on his fingers:

"In this negotiation, you got almost everything you could."

"Alcadi managed to save some face, but in reality, they lost completely."

"but……"

Gaetano's expression turned serious:
Don't take his last words lightly.

"The world of chaotic blood is indeed very deep."

Ron nodded. "I understand."

That's why he wants to take advantage of the time and space he's gained to expand his advantage as quickly as possible.

The compensation of 15,000 magic stones is enough to support the rapid development of Twilight City for the next few years.
The eighty-year right to use the Shadow Sentry gave him ample time to consolidate his power.
The collaboration with the drug dealers allowed him to plant countless pawns within the vampire clan...

All of these are preparations for a larger plan in the future.

"correct."

Gaetano suddenly remembered something:
"Eighty years from now, will you really obediently return your body?"

This question made everyone else in the room prick up their ears.

Ron replied without hesitation, "Of course not."

"What? You want to break the contract? But the soul contract is binding..."

"I didn't mean breach of contract."

He explained:

"Eighty years from now, I will return the body in accordance with the contract."

"but……"

Ron chuckled softly:
"Eighty years from now, I might be a great wizard."

"By then, a marquis-level puppet body will be of little use to me..."

He gazed into the distance, as if he could pierce through the mists of time and see his future self:

"It's not that important anymore."

"The Dark Threshold will transform from its 'prototype' to its 'complete form,' and at that time... I myself will be the most powerful war machine."

Gaetano suddenly realized what was happening and burst into laughter:
"You little rascal, you're really cunning!"

………………

In the underground laboratory of Twilight City.

"Fifteen thousand magic stones."

Ron stood in front of the central control console, his finger lightly gliding over the data streams moving across the panel:
"The 'compensation' from the Heart Clan has given me some 'financial freedom'."

Fifteen thousand magic stones might just be pocket change for a great wizard.

However, for a Dark Sun-level wizard like Ron who is in the process of rising to prominence, this resource is enough to support him in completing dozens of research projects that were originally shelved due to cost issues.

More importantly, the money was obtained "cleanly".

If it is not funded by a school of thought alliance, then a detailed research report and interim results need to be submitted;
It's not an investment from a major power, which would mean sharing technology patents in the future.

This gave Ron enough room to maneuver.

He can conduct research that is "inconvenient to disclose" without any restraint, boldly try experimental directions that "may cause controversy", and challenge taboos without any scruples.

“Silas”.

Ron didn't turn around; his voice echoed in the empty laboratory.
"How's the rune array for the biological culture tank going?"

"Final calibration has been completed."

The enchanter emerged from the shadows and adjusted his runic glasses:
"The culture tank has been synchronized, and the energy supply is stable within 0.3% of the error."

"As per your request, each culture tank is equipped with an independent 'life support system' and 'heterogeneous energy injection device'."

Silas walked to the nearest culture tank and lightly touched the surface of the crystal with his finger.

A holographic projection immediately popped up, displaying the various internal parameters:
"This system can continuously inject external energy into the body of the experimental subject while maintaining its basic life characteristics."

Whether it's the power of chaos, the corruption of the abyss, or the bloodline of the vampires, all can be fused and tested in a controlled manner.

"and……"

He looked at Ron:
"I installed an 'emergency separation device' at the bottom of each culture tank according to your design drawings."

"Once the test subject shows signs of going out of control—such as energy outbursts, awakening of consciousness, or unpredictable mutations—..."

This device will disconnect the culture tank from the main power network within 0.5 seconds and simultaneously initiate the 'annihilation' procedure.

"Erase completely."

Ron nodded in satisfaction.

This is what he needs—the freedom to experiment, yet with sufficient safety measures.

After all, every experiment he was going to conduct was a tightrope walk between "breakthrough" and "disaster".

The consequences could be disastrous if we are not careful.

"What about Edwin?"

"He and Lord Gaetano are still in Grey Tower."

Silas retrieved another report:
"However, news came yesterday that the third-generation prototype of the [Undying Killer] series of weapons has been completed."

"It is said that this version, while retaining the original 'contaminant injection' function, has added an additional 'anchoring' feature."

"Once a weapon pierces a target's body, it leaves a 'mark,' and even if the target escapes to the ends of the earth, the person wielding the weapon can sense their location."

Ron raised an eyebrow: "Sounds good. Let him continue learning from Gaetano. There's no need for him to come back immediately."

"Having the opportunity to systematically learn the art of fire forging is far more valuable than coming back to help me."

As he spoke, he had already reached the deepest part of the laboratory.

There, a special cultivation tank stood apart from the others, surrounded by additional protective runes and energy barriers.

Inside the culture tank, a human-shaped silhouette floats.

To be precise, it is a "former person".

Alex Valentine.

Or rather, it should now be called a "Shadow Whistle".

"The first phase of renovation is 87% complete."

Ron retrieved detailed data:
"Vampire traits retained: immortality (limited), extraordinary regeneration (reduced by 40%), blood magic affinity (stable), multi-stage transformation (sealed)."

"Shadow Creature Trait Fusion: Shadow Travel (Basic), Light Resistance (Significant), Concealing Aura (Mastery)."

"Chaos Transformation Effects: Soul Structure Reshaping (62%), Mind Lock (Ron Ralph), Self-Will (Suppressed to 5%)."

He looked at Silas:
Do you think this 'experimental subject' was a success?

Silas remained silent for a long time before slowly speaking:
"From a technical point of view, this is the most perfect case of 'bioalchemy' I have ever seen."

"You have successfully fused three power systems that should have been mutually exclusive—vampire bloodline, shadow creatures, and the power of chaos—into the same vessel in a near-miraculous way."

"And most importantly..."

He pointed to a parameter on the data panel:
"The 'adaptability index' is as high as 91.3%."

"This shows that this body's acceptance of 'alien energy' has surpassed that of most known organisms."

"Whatever you want to inject into it—abyssal pollution, industrial waste, or even completely unfamiliar supernatural forces—it can adapt and integrate at an astonishing speed."

He sat down at the console and his fingers began to fly across the virtual keyboard:
"The physical strength of a marquis-level vampire allows him to withstand extreme energy injections without collapsing."

"The 'accelerated blood circulation' property left by the [red hook] allows pollutants to quickly spread throughout the body, shortening the experimental cycle;"

"And the fusion with the shadow creatures endowed him with a natural high adaptability to the 'power of chaos'..."

Ron looked up at the body floating in the culture tank:
"Then let's begin the first round of testing."

"Inject 'NR-chaotic enhanced sample' at a concentration of 15% and observe the blood vessel response."

"receive."

Silas walked to the control panel and started the injection program.

At the bottom of the culture tank, a thin, hair-like catheter slowly rose and pierced the neck blood vessel of [Shadow Sentry].

The dark green liquid began to flow.

For ordinary vampires, even a single drop of contact can lead to bloodline contamination and a decline in their extraordinary abilities.

But [Shadow Sentinel]... Ron stared intently at the surveillance screen.

After the pollutants entered the bloodstream, [Shadow Whistle] experienced slight twitching.

Darkened blood vessels appear on the skin's surface, a sign that pollutants are spreading in the blood.

"Bloodline purity decreased by 7%... Extraordinary regenerative ability declined by 12%... Immortality was suppressed..."

Silas quickly reported the data:
"But... wait, this..."

His voice suddenly paused.

Because an unexpected change occurred on the surveillance footage.

The pollutants that should have continued to erode the bloodline began to be "assimilated" about thirty seconds after entering the Shadow Sentry's body.

The initial contact between the contaminant and the scarlet blood did indeed trigger a violent rejection reaction.

However, as time went on, the two substances that should have been incompatible began to "merge".

Heavy metal ions in pollutants are encapsulated and transformed by magical particles in the blood;
An organic solvent underwent an unknown chemical reaction with plasma proteins, producing a novel, stable compound.
Even the chaotic energy, in its collision with the vampire bloodline, gradually lost its "destructive" nature, instead exhibiting a certain...

"A symbiotic state."

Ron was somewhat excited; his research direction was indeed correct.
"It is 'learning'."

"The Shadow Sentry's body is 'learning' how to coexist with pollutants."

This discovery made his heart beat a little faster.

It's important to understand that Euphemia's thirty years of research have always been stuck on a dead end:

How can the contaminants be used to isolate Aiden's frenzied signals without excessively weakening the vampire's extraordinary abilities?
All attempts are limited to a choice between "suppressing the mania" and "preserving the power".

Either use high-concentration pollutants to completely sever the bloodline connection, at the cost of weakening the vampires;
They tried using low concentrations to maintain balance, but the effect was minimal and couldn't stop Aiden's increasingly rampant infection...

The improved version of the drug that he and his students had previously developed did not actually solve the aforementioned problems.

It simply utilizes the fusion properties of the chaotic stabilizer to compensate for the loopholes, and optimizes and optimizes the original foundation.

But now, the Shadow Whistle's body offers a third possibility—adaptation.

The body learns to coexist with pollutants, transforming what was originally "poison" into "nutrients".

"I'll increase the concentration further and see where his tolerance limit is."

Silas hesitated for a moment: "Increasing the concentration further... could cause permanent damage even to marquis-level vampires."

"It's ok."

Ron's eyes were cold:
"He was an experimental subject; if he was damaged, he could be repaired, and if not, we could find another one."

"But if we miss the opportunity to observe the 'critical point,' then we'll be in trouble."

Upon hearing this, Silas no longer hesitated and increased the concentration.

More pollutants flooded into [Shadow Sentinel].

This time, the reaction was even more intense.

The entire culture tank began to vibrate, and the nutrient solution inside churned like boiling water.

[Shadow Whistle]'s body convulsed violently, and the black blood vessels on the surface of his skin became dense like a spider web, almost covering his entire body.

"Bloodline purity decreased by 15%... Extraordinary regeneration declined by 28%... Structural damage at the cellular level was detected..."

Silas's voice grew increasingly tense:
“Ralph, if this continues, he might…”

"and many more."

Ron suddenly raised his hand, signaling Silas to be quiet.

Deep within his pupils, the ability of [Starlight Observer] was operating at full power, his gaze fixed on a certain detail in the surveillance footage.

That's the heart area of ​​[Shadow Sentry].

Under high magnification, he could clearly see the microscopic changes taking place in the myocardial cells.

The originally orderly arranged cell structure begins to "disintegrate" under the impact of pollution—cell membranes rupture, cell nuclei dissolve, and mitochondria cease to function...

Logically, this should be a harbinger of death.

Strangely, those "dead" cells did not actually die.

Their fragments began to "reorganize" under the combined influence of pollutants and vampire bloodlines.

The new cell membrane is constructed from organic compounds in pollutants and plasma proteins;
The new cell nucleus combines the magical properties of the vampires with the energy signature of industrial radiation;
The new mitochondria… under the influence of chaotic forces, they can no longer even be called “mitochondria”; they are a completely new type of organelle, possessing both biological functions and extraordinary properties…

"This……"

Silas's eyes widened:
"Is this... 'evolution'?"

"To be precise, it is 'passive directed evolution'."

Ron's voice was full of amazement:
"The Shadow Sentry's body was forced to undergo an ultra-fast adaptive mutation under the 'pressure' of pollutants."

"Those cells that cannot adapt die, while those that can adapt survive and proliferate rapidly."

"In a very short period of time, the process of 'natural selection' that should have taken hundreds or thousands of generations was completed."

He turned to Silas, his eyes revealing a researcher's fervor:
"It seems we've finally found the 'key'."

"A key that can open the door to 'higher life forms'."

Inside the culture tank, [Shadow Whistle]'s body gradually calmed down.

The violent spasms stopped, the heart rate returned to normal, and the body temperature began to drop.

The most amazing thing is that the black lines that were originally covering the whole body are now slowly "fading".

That's not because pollutants are being expelled from the body, quite the opposite...

The pollutants have been completely "integrated" into the bloodline of the vampires, becoming a part of their bodies.

On the data panel, various indicators gradually stabilized:
Blood purity: 78% (a decrease of 22% compared to before injection, but has stopped decreasing further).
Extraordinary regeneration: 62% (38% decline, but the regeneration rate is slowly recovering)
Immortality: Limited (Recoverable)
Cell viability: 127% (27% increase compared to before injection)
"Cell activity...has improved?"

Silas stared at the number in disbelief:
"The pollutants didn't kill him; instead, they made his basic life force even stronger?"

"Because 'pressure' is 'motivation'."

Ron explained:
"Moderate environmental stress can stimulate the potential of living organisms."

"Under the 'threat' of pollutants, the Shadow Sentinel's body was forced to undergo a deep optimization."

"Redundant, fragile, and inefficient cellular structures are eliminated and replaced by new structures that are more resilient, efficient, and adaptable to harsh environments."

He walked to the culture tank and placed his palm on the surface of the crystal:
"This is the core concept of my new plan—the 'Daywalker Project'."

"It's not simply about 'healing' vampires, nor is it merely about 'weakening' Aiden."

"What I want to do is to bring about a 'transformation' for the vampire race."

"From 'parasites' that depend on Aiden's bloodline, they have evolved into 'new species' capable of independent survival."

Ron turned around and looked at Silas:
"And this 'new species' will no longer fear sunlight, will no longer be limited by blood, and will no longer be plagued by frenzy..."

"They will..."

His voice was deep yet powerful:
"To become a true 'daywalker'."

Silas remained silent for a long time, and finally asked only one question:
How do you plan to promote this technology?

"Proceed step by step."

Ron had already come up with a plan:
"In the first phase, we will continue to use [Shadow Whistle] for in-depth testing to ensure that the technology is mature, controllable, and replicable."

"In the second phase, we will select 'volunteers' in Twilight City for a small-scale pilot program."

Prioritize vampires who are severely affected by berserk behavior and have reached a dead end.

"In the third phase, we will make successful cases public to attract more vampires to actively seek 'treatment'."

"The fourth stage..."

Ron's lips curled into a smile:
"Let 'daywalkers' become the new 'fashion,' and let all vampires be proud to be 'daywalkers.'"

"At that time, all the vampires in the chaotic world will voluntarily sever their blood ties with Aiden."

"And Aiden..."

His smile grew even colder.
"He will become a 'lone wolf'."

"A 'god' who has lost all his 'believers'."

"A 'terminal' abandoned by the 'server'."

Silas gasped.

He finally understood Ron's true intentions.

This is no mere "treatment plan"; it's clearly a drastic measure to undermine Aiden's foundation!
By modifying the vampires and severing their connection with Aiden, the power base of this quasi-Witch King is fundamentally weakened...

"But……"

Silas hesitated:
Will Aiden stand idly by?

"Of course he wouldn't."

Ron turned and walked toward the control panel:
"So we need 'time'."

"Enough time for the 'Sunwalker Project' to spread to a wide enough area, for enough vampires to complete their 'transformation,' so much so that even if Aiden wanted to stop it..."

"It's too late."

“And this ‘time’…”

He pulled up another document, which was densely filled with records of Euphemia's recent progress:
"I need someone to help me 'delay' it."

"Help me delay Aiden's 'awakening' process."

"And this person..."

Ron's finger hovered over the file title:
"It's Euphemia." (End of Chapter)