The eccentric doctor never makes a misdiagnosis!

Fran's long eyelashes fluttered, and she blinked rather charmingly.

"She took my medicine, so how could I not find her? The question now is, what kind of fish will this bait lure in? Let's wait and see..."

Chapter Ten: April Has Arrived

In the vast majority of cases, Dr. Fran would not prescribe medications that would harm a patient's health... that would violate her medical principles.

But would she add substances to the medicine that wouldn't harm her health? That's certainly possible, and she wouldn't mind doing so at all.

But how do we define "substances that affect health"? Well, on that point... Dr. Fran has the final say.

"Was the initial recommendation of the drug to Lady Solani intended to leave a mark on her...?"

Haida's eyes narrowed slightly, her surprise mixed with a hint of understanding.

Dr. Fran’s actions seem illogical and chaotic at first glance, and there are indeed many things that are unclear in meaning.

In retrospect, however, each of her actions seemed to have a clear objective, and her grasp of timing and sequence of events was almost flawless.

She even anticipated that someone in the Secret Service was spying on her and incorporated it into her plans.

By using Vivian's timely intervention to scare away Solani, they could then conveniently let go of the marked "bait."

Such skillful fishing techniques... Haida slightly pursed her lips, a feeling of admiration inexplicably arose within her.

"Since I've accepted the job, I have to live up to the pay... My habit is to do my job to the best of my ability."

No, I hired you as a "coroner," so investigating cases shouldn't be your job... Although that's what she thought, Haida didn't actually say it out loud.

She picked up the skull-shaped porcelain cup on the tea table, examined it carefully, and then asked another question.

"Fran, did you realize from the beginning that most of the furniture and decorations here were made using the Red Cup Cult's 'Flesh-Shaping Ritual'?"

"Of course. To a senior doctor, those limbs and organs are simply altered in form... Given time, the signs will eventually become apparent."

Fran deftly tossed the braid in her hair, her expression relaxed and at ease, as if everything she had just done was insignificant to her.

She didn't even forget to comfort Heda as well.

"The 'Red Cup' cult reveres the transcendence and ascension of the physical body. Their 'flesh-and-blood shaping ritual' leaves no trace of mysticism after completion; all changes are merely on the material level..."

"This is not in line with the Hunter's Order's expertise, so it's normal that you can't tell. Don't worry about it."

The Hunters' Order's standard criteria for judging whether an event is related to the mysterious are "Nine Spirits" and "Aura 4," and the Funeral Maids are extremely sensitive to these.

However, the "spirit" of the flesh-shaping ritual can only be observed during the ritual, and its alteration of the blood and flesh is entirely material, which results in almost no trace of the spirit remaining.

In addition, the ritual's materials consist solely of human flesh, and have nothing to do with evil offspring. Therefore, there is nothing unusual about its aura.

To uncover this ritual, one must either possess specialized secret techniques like the White Cup Order, have extensive knowledge like Fran, or rely on certain special "relics"...

Higher-level hunters might be able to spot the flaws, but Sister Haida is not yet capable of doing so.

Haida shook her head, not accepting Fran's explanation.

"Don't try to comfort me. It was my dereliction of duty that I failed to see through the heretics' disguise."

That being said, Haida did not show any discouragement or frustration.

The experience gained from this investigation was extremely valuable to her, as it was the first time she had encountered a situation outside of the "common knowledge" of funeral maids.

She was already prepared to immediately start cramming on the Red Cup sect's information after returning to the church.

"Hmm...you're being a bit too hard on yourself, aren't you? But that's a virtue for a funeral maid, so I won't try to persuade you otherwise."

Fran tilted his head and spread his hands in a somewhat helpless manner.

Vivian was somewhat taken aback to see the two of them chatting so amicably and seemingly ignoring her completely.

"...Doesn't burning incense indoors have a sleep-inducing effect? ​​Or am I wrong?"

Upon seeing this, she reached out and tried to take off the standard gas mask.

A pale hand covered in stitches grasped Vivian's wrist, gently stopping her.

"Miss Vivian, how is your sleep quality?" Fran leaned forward and asked with concern.

"Um...not bad? I don't have much insomnia."

Vivian was a little taken aback by Fran's sudden question and could only instinctively answer it.

"That means your sleep schedule is very healthy, which is great. Keep it up. There's one thing I need to remind you... If you don't want to sleep until tomorrow afternoon, don't take off your mask here."

Vivian was puzzled when she saw the two people who had nothing on their faces and were completely unharmed.

"So the incense here does have a sleep-inducing effect, and the tea you drank earlier probably did too... but why are you all alright?"

"I added some seasoning to the food I just ate that will keep you awake. If Miss Vivian really doesn't want to wear a mask, you can come in and try my cooking."

Fran's explanation made Heda glance at her again.

Heda initially thought the sleeping pills hadn't worked because of changes within her body. Now it seems, it was because Fran had added something to the dish beforehand? Was that the real reason she insisted she try the food?

Noticing that Haida was looking at him, Fran narrowed his deep amber-gold eyes and returned a friendly smile.

“Sister Heda, you only have the first four surgeries. To complete the entire procedure, there are a total of 19. Without a ‘pre-placed stomach’ and ‘multiple lungs,’ it’s a bit of a stretch to expect to be exempt from the sleeping agent based on your own constitution.”

"Of course, because your overall physical condition has been greatly improved, you can last longer. Without medication, the sleeping pills will take about half an hour to take effect."

“…I see. I understand.”

Heda nodded solemnly, deliberately ignoring what Fran had said about the surgery.

"How about it, Miss Vivian, are you interested? Don't be shy, the stove in the kitchen here is very high-end, and the seasonings are top-notch."

"No need! I just finished dinner and came out, haha... Thank you very much for your kindness. But I really can't eat anymore."

Vivian hesitated, but firmly rejected Fran's enthusiastic recommendation.

She had serious doubts about the safety of the food from this doctor, Sister Lin... At the same time, she turned to Haida for help.

Heda knew very well that since the members of the Secret Service were tasked with surveillance and covert assistance, she would have absolutely no time to eat during the mission.

However, Haida naturally wouldn't point it out. She coughed lightly and said to Fran, "Now that Lady Solani has escaped, when do we set off to begin the pursuit?"

Although Haida is the true leader of the team, only Fran can currently pinpoint Solani's location. Therefore... all subsequent actions must be arranged around her, and unwittingly, the roles of host and guest seem to have been reversed.

"Tomorrow, or the day after? You can go back to the Order to give a progress report and take inventory of the evidence here. I will inform you when Solani returns to the Crimson Cup Sect's lair."

Fran stroked his chin and offered a suggestion to Haida.

"it is good."

Haida nodded slightly in agreement with Fran, as she was also very familiar with the fishing process.

During Solani's escape, the hunters must not press too hard, but rather maintain a balance and patience... so that she will put aside her concerns and return to the heretical lair.

In this way, when the operation is closed, those cult members can be completely wiped out to the greatest extent possible.

"It was a pleasure working with Sister Heda, and I look forward to seeing her again. It's getting late, so I'll head back to the clinic now... There's still plenty of food left, enough for a midnight snack."

Fran swung the cloth bag in his hand slightly. The ingredients inside had not decreased; in fact, they had increased: several boxes of caviar, several boxes of matsutake mushrooms, several boxes of truffles...

She seemed to have reaped quite a haul from Solani's kitchen; her bag even contained two bottles of rare wines from her private cellar.

Theft? Not at all.

This was an unequal exchange, and the beneficiary was Mrs. Solani. The medicine Fran provided her was far more valuable than these overpriced trinkets.

Now that Lady Solani is in such a state, she probably can't provide herself with payment, so she can only buy some souvenirs herself to minimize her losses...

Fran reached out and pushed open the door to Solani's house. The swirling mist inside seemed to come alive, swirling and enveloping her as she stepped into it.

Vivian watched Fran's figure disappear into the mist, her expression strangely almost blank.

“Sister Heda, is Supervisor Alvin really convinced she’s ‘friendly’ and has suggested you stay in touch with her? Why are those crazy guys in the General Affairs Division, who’s always so eager to issue purge orders, being so gentle this time? I’m not used to it…”

Haida stared at the mist that gradually dissipated as Fran left, her gaze distant and profound, as if deep in thought.

"As far as investigating cases is concerned... Dr. Fran is indeed very capable. Even though it is a murder case involving the appearance of the 'Red Cup' cult, she is completely at ease and can manipulate the course of events with ease."

"Perhaps the supervisors have their own considerations, or perhaps this is the Secretary of General Affairs' intention."

When the topic of the General Affairs Department came up, Vivian could only purse her lips awkwardly, wisely avoiding continuing the conversation. Hmm.

——Four

No. 13, North District, Fog Street Clinic.

"Phew..." Liu

Fran breathed a sigh of relief, took off her cotton apron with a bear pattern, and began to enjoy the midnight snack she had just cooked.

Although she took away a lot of so-called expensive ingredients, she used them in a rather crude way, and her real staple food was still meat.

"What a life of toil! After making a medical call in another field, I immediately took on Sister Haida's case investigation commission... My back is about to fall apart."

With a slightly reproachful tone, she rubbed her slender waist through her white coat, easing the soreness in her muscles.

"Those annoying heretics like the Red Cup are playing with blood sacrifices again. It seems the Mystics and the White Cup are going to be busy lately."

Fran used chopsticks to pick up a neatly cut piece of meat and put it in his mouth, chewing it carefully with his teeth.

The terrifying aspect of heretical sects lies in their ability to proselytize through rituals that interfere with thought processes, rapidly corrupting normal people and amounting to a spiritual plague.

Those who are corrupted will fanatically believe in evil gods without changing their common sense, and will willingly offer everything to them.

Just like cockroaches, if you find one, there may be more than one nest in the shadows.

However, such corrupting rituals usually come at a considerable cost, and most heresies are actually devout followers.

Moreover, many orthodox religions are very wary of so-called spiritual plagues, so this method can be used occasionally, but cannot be expanded on a large scale.

Fran ate with remarkable elegance and speed, and in no time, a freshly prepared midnight snack was reduced to a clean plate.

"To remove dust and grime."

She unceremoniously activated her special ability, and with a flicker of light, the remaining oil stains on the plate were instantly wiped away.

It's hard to imagine that this was just to avoid washing dishes...

After tidying everything up, Fran walked with considerable satisfaction to his massive wooden bookshelf and took out a thick copy of "The Thousand Teachings Classic".

This ancient book bears the marks of time and appears extremely old. However, it seems to have been carefully preserved, and normal reading reveals no problems.

She opened the book, her fingertips turning the pages slowly and carefully, her gaze gentle and serene, enjoying her leisure time as after-dinner reading.

Fran's memory of several sects was somewhat hazy, so he watched it again to refresh his memory.

……

The four major orthodox religions that have been passed down from ancient times to the present day are the "Hunters," who worship the god of hunting.

The "white cup" that seeks enlightenment and wisdom.

"The Sun Forger" serves those who forge the stars.

And the "lamp moth" that converts to the origin of light, darkness, and chaos.

Each entry in this book that mentions the four major religions has a blurry smear mark next to it.

Fran knew what it was… it was the “honored name” corresponding to a deity. It was hard to imagine what kind of being the compiler of this book was, given that they could write down those four names.

In fact, there are not only four orthodox churches.

These four orthodox religions are grouped together because they have the deepest roots and maintain open proselytizing. Most other orthodox religions remain secret and unknown to the public.

In addition, the Lamp Sect and the Moth Sect were often separate and opposed, but also often reconciled and united, so there are actually five of the four major orthodox sects...

The relationship between the red cup and the white cup is different here. Even though the moth and the lamp are opposites, their essence is orthodoxy, and their doctrines and laws follow the most basic order.

The Red Cup, on the other hand, is a complete heretic. In their pursuit of physical transformation and ascension, they don't care about the means.

They use dismemberment as a blood sacrifice, their closest relatives as nourishment, infants as sacrifices, and purity as blasphemy... The morality of human society does not exist in their minds.

[Dear Dr. Fran, your monthly outpatient appointment has been triggered. The target patient is Mrs. Solanie Lois of the 'Red Cup Cult.' Please begin treatment within three days. This treatment is unrestricted; please feel free to use any methods you deem appropriate.]

"Monthly house call triggered? Hmm, it's already April... Time flies."

Fran rested her chin on her hand, lowered her eyes, and sighed. She then closed the book, "The Complete Book of a Thousand Teachings," and placed it back on the shelf.

"Not concerned about medical ethics? How considerate. Given Lady Solani's condition, I'm afraid I can only prescribe one medicine for her."

"……die."

Her fingers were slightly interlaced, and the bright light reflected in her eyes.

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