The eccentric doctor never makes a misdiagnosis!

Soon, the testing machine fixed the material and then began to apply force evenly and continuously.

"Crack!" A few breaths later, a sharp metallic sound suddenly rang out.

The jaws of the testing instrument broke.

"Oh, although this instrument is specially made, it still has testing limits when dealing with special materials. In fact, it was damaged when it tried to cut adamantite material before."

Fran shrugged as he looked at the one-piece material testing machine with its jaws bent and deformed.

"So the current situation is within expectations."

"Therefore, the next testing process will be switched to be conducted manually by the assistant, Sigrid. Although all the data will come from the craftswoman's subjective judgment, her testing limit is much higher than this testing machine, and even the accuracy is not much different."

After saying this, the doctor took two steps back.

Upon receiving the command, Sigrid immediately activated her alchemical state, her clothing vanished, and her skin was covered by the intense flames of the forge. As for the medical gloves from before, oh, they didn't even last a blink of an eye before they were completely carbonized into dust.

Stretching, pressing, hammering—Sigrid molded her arm into various forged objects, beginning the testing process in her own way.

Liu……

Approximately sixty minutes later, the craftswoman restored her hammer-shaped arm to its original state and deactivated her overheated state. With the exhaust system in the biological laboratory operating, the entire indoor environment quickly returned to a normal, constant temperature.

She also wrote down the data she obtained from her physical sensations in the logbook and handed it to Fran.

Fran then briefly demonstrated the specific data to the recording device before resuming his explanation.

Fourth, "The overall characteristics of the material are 'hard' with almost no ductility, which makes tensile and yield strength tests difficult. Its internal crystal structure is close to linear chain, but it also has excellent impact resistance."

"However, 'excellent' is relative, and impact resistance is the most vulnerable aspect of this material. When faced with unevenly distributed high-intensity point pressure, it will still shatter, unlike refined gold which can remain intact through deformation."

Following this, the doctor conducted a spiritual trait test using his own proprietary procedure and demonstrated the results as described above.

"If we were to categorize it by sex, the Dragonmane Snail Dove material would be closer to 'scales,' given its more marine-like appearance. Furthermore, its exceptional resistance to curse effects dictates the direction of this product's development..."

Sigrid picked up where Fran left off, quite smoothly.

"That is, 'lightweight armor'."

"As for the specific design, I personally prefer to use this biological fragment as an armor cover. Of course, this is not absolute, and many problems need to be discovered and corrected during the research and development process. Next, I will design the casting to ensure that the advantages of the material can be made up as much as possible."

The subsequent video recording was a special session on Sigrid's casting studies.

The artisan, who was initially a little uncomfortable in front of the camera, became serious and focused after entering her professional field, showing a knowledgeable and enthusiastic teaching style... However, the dragon mane conch is a non-metallic material, which made the gold melting ceremony of the Suncasting Order less effective.

Therefore, Sigrid spent even more time on the research than when she was dealing with adamantite. In order to further increase efficiency, Fran called on Tinuville as an outside helper to join the research.

These three guys, who didn't really need to eat or sleep, stayed in the lab and worked continuously day and night without interruption.

"call--"

Looking at the several sets of casting design drawings laid out beside her, Fran took off her silver-rimmed round glasses and pinched the faint red marks on the bridge of her nose caused by wearing glasses for a long time. Sigrid stood behind the doctor quite considerately, massaging her temples with her fingertips.

"Tinuville, cut out the scraps and overly lengthy parts. Nearly thirty hours of instructional material isn't for human consumption."

"Yes."

Tinuville, who joined the research team midway through, quickly agreed and began editing the footage.

However, due to a personal hobby of documenting documents, she still kept a backup of the full version in her database.

-

Mid-October, a secluded spot in Norlington's West End, the Drowning Theater Lounge.

The inchworm, draped in a dancer's tulle skirt, held a hairband for tying her hair between its lips, its hands outstretched behind its head, preparing to tie its long, loose black hair into a simple high ponytail.

When preparing to go on stage, this Moth Dancer doesn't mind having a personal attendant arrange his costume, makeup, and even more elaborate hairstyle. However, today he came to the Drowned Theatre mainly for his routine rehearsal and, incidentally, to prepare the script for his new ballet.

Therefore, he simply tidied his appearance.

The dance and narrative style of "Under Naurmaran" with its profound historical weight and emotional appeal has caused a stir in art appreciation circles, making many people who missed the premiere eager to book the next performance... and the previous closure of the Fallen Theatre for renovation has exacerbated this trend.

In short, inchworms will be quite busy for some time to come, busy in various ways.

Oh, besides those who are interested in dance dramas, some sponsors are more concerned about the dancers themselves.

This guy has recently received at least five dinner invitations, from White Cup historians, private business owners, the Lois family, and even Meredith who declined to give his name... but he has to teach at the academy during the weekdays, so he can hardly get away.

"I'll rule out the invitation from the History Department for now; I don't want to meet with my colleagues from the Decepticons in my current state. As for individual business owners... I simply don't have the energy to waste on such meaningless socializing."

The inchworm sorted through the envelopes, each bearing a different seal and sealing wax, selecting them one by one.

"From the Lois family, um... it's that little girl Elsa. Speaking of which, I haven't sent my return gift yet, I'll go visit her on my day off."

"As for Meredith..."

He frowned when he saw the exquisite envelope with the wolf head emblem at the end.

"It seems that as long as one still wants to work at the Drowning Theatre, this offer is impossible to refuse."

To be honest, the inchworm had no desire to deal with the Merediths.

After its defeat in the struggle against the Mysteries, Meredith seemed to have fallen into despair, lying low and adopting a yielding attitude in most matters, including those concerning the power of the city hall. However, according to the information channels of the Obscure Society... they are constantly gathering strength in the shadows.

Although as long as that lone red wolf remains in the position of Funeral Minister, they cannot truly regain their former "glory," but things are unpredictable, and no one can say for sure that there will be no accidents or changes before the future becomes reality.

"Knock." A knock sounded on the door, followed by a waiter's reminder.

"Ms. Haley, it's time to direct the rehearsal."

"Ah."

The inchworm composed itself, then pushed open the door and walked straight through the corridor to the theater stage.

While the fire at the finale of the previous film was indeed a public safety incident, it did provide him with some inspiration. Therefore, he improved the lighting and special effects props to make the collapsing set and the surrounding flames more realistic, aiming to more closely resemble the original effect.

The rehearsal went very smoothly, without any unexpected incidents.

Dancers often have conflicts due to jealousy or a competitive mentality, or some artists may become arrogant and complacent because of their existing fame and fortune.

The inchworm had absolutely no interest in such trivial matters that were pointless and only a waste of energy, so it chose to use its identity as the Night Moth Priestess and its relationship with the Drowned Theater in advance to conduct a rigorous screening of the participants...

After finishing rehearsal, the inchworm returned to the dressing room, constantly organizing its thoughts on the new script.

"Should we choose a story from the Munro epic? But there are already too many impeccable precedents for this kind of classical fatalistic opera in the last thousand years. The subject matter should be even less known and more full of dramatic twists..."

At that very moment, he suddenly caught a whiff of damp coolness in the air, and his left eye trembled slightly, carrying a certain flutter of emotion.

The inchworm immediately identified the source of this fluttering feeling. He crossed his arms, bent his right knee, and bowed to the ground in a solemn, almost pious gesture.

"Good day, Hermit Lady."

"No need for formalities, Inchworm. I don't recall the teachings of the Velvet Moth emphasizing such formalities. Or should I address you as Miss Haliel?"

Fran sat on a leather sofa in the theater's lounge, his eyes filled with a hint of languor, one hand casually supporting his cheek.

"It is an honor to have you address me by any form of address."

The inchworm behaved quite humbly, and its words and actions were both orderly and methodical.

Although he did not hide his joy, he remained composed and did not panic.

He never felt that this identity could be hidden from the Hermit Lady, and therefore, even when meeting her as a woman, he showed no restraint or embarrassment. His demeanor was generous and frank.

"Your performance was very interesting."

"Besides me, Ms. Scythia also thought the last dance drama was quite original."

While expressing his appreciation, Fran patted the wooden square table in front of the sofa, gesturing for him to sit down in the seat opposite.

"Given my positive impression, I've brought you some small gifts. You can accept them without any qualms, just as performers accept rewards from sponsors—it's an age-old tradition, and it's perfectly natural."

"The first one is the secret of the Son of the Tree of Susans, which I accidentally collected in the ruins a few months ago. You can refer to it briefly. As for the other one, I will not give it any further explanation. You are to study it on your own."

As he spoke, the doctor took out a book from his sleeve, on which was placed an amber ornament.

These are "A True Record of the Remains of the Rongxu Library" and an emblem pendant containing the secret rituals of the "Mist of Conjecture" system.

-

-

soup!

Chapter Seventy-Three: The Nameless Plague Patient

Norlington Central College, faculty and staff accommodations.

Having resumed his substitute professor attire, the inchworm carefully packed away the lesson plan for "International Relations in Foreign Lands," which he would need for tomorrow's morning class, and then placed it in his leather handbag.

Although he was perfectly capable of lecturing without notes, he preferred to be prepared more often. He was fascinated by thorough preparation, a stable backup plan, a wealth of knowledge, and the willingness to risk everything when necessary.

“Shuttle: 蚆$［∨≥Seven∧LuLu●San←∩Let me think.”

The inchworm leaned back, pressing its entire weight against the back of its office chair, then exhaled, taking advantage of the brief respite at night to quickly refresh itself. Even during its rest, it didn't let its thoughts stop.

Right now, he is meticulously planning his schedule for late October and the following month.

First, there was Elsa's invitation to Heliel for dinner. It wasn't a particularly formal social event, and besides, Heliel only had two classes in the morning on the day of the dinner, so there was no time conflict.

The invitation from Meredith should be given serious consideration...

The letter was unsigned, making it impossible to determine which Meredith sent it, which is consistent with their usual arrogant style. Judging from its contents, it seems there was a large party at the end of the year for which they needed to perform.

The good news is that the Meredith family, besides displaying an unquestionable arrogance when extending invitations, also applies the same arrogance to the payment. This invitation must be exceptionally weighty.

After emptying all the contents, you will find five thick, ancient-looking gold coins with wolf heads, in addition to the letter.

An arrogant person without corresponding generosity is nothing but pure frivolity.

"However... compared to the blessings bestowed by the Hermit Lady, those trivial matters are actually insignificant. I even miss Foy's leisurely days, at least he had plenty of time to study the mystical arts."

The operation of society and interpersonal relationships has tremendous inertia; unless a major upheaval occurs, it will not easily stop. Most people maintain their lives in a step-by-step manner and are bound by this step-by-step trend.

Going to work, getting off work, eating, socializing, falling asleep, waking up, and receiving your salary on a certain day of each month.

Previously, the inchworm's life in Norrington was quite fixed, consisting of a routine of going to three points and going to three places.

He would teach at the academy, return to his residence to rest and study classics, write scripts, and finally use the remaining free time to hone the dancers' skills at the Drowning Theatre.

Now, he has to squeeze out extra time for socializing.

This would absolutely be enough to exhaust any ordinary person, but fortunately, the inchworm has completed the transformation to the rank of chief priest, and its energy and physical strength are no longer as limited as those of a mortal body, so socializing is not a burden for it.

What truly troubled the inchworm was the "Conjecture Fog Emblem" given to it by Fran.

Of course, his emotions were extremely complex and could not be fully described in a single word. If quantified, it would be roughly one-tenth distress and nine-tenths joy and fervor.

He was overjoyed to have obtained this precious emblem containing a brand-new system of mystic arts, but distressed that he could only study it with the limited time he had left.

"The ethereal veil shrouding true knowledge and ultimate truth simultaneously reveals the two contradictory qualities of 'law' and 'fallacy'—how intoxicating! Is this the path the hermit lady has trod?"

"Does her bestowing it upon me prove that I am worthy of the Forest Moth's favor? No, the mystical rituals of this system have characteristics distinctly different from those of the moth. Could it be that the Hermit Lady has grown weary of serving under the high seat of the Divine Star and is determined to usurp one of the many 'moments' that belong to her?"

"Will there come a day when I, too, will follow in her footsteps and stand alongside those exalted beings who walk on the earth, second only to the gods? Or perhaps... rise even higher, until I reach the heavens and look down upon the dome of the earth?"

For a fleeting moment, the inchworm even felt its restlessness and fervor materialize, as if about to burst forth from its chest and spread its wings.

But he quickly suppressed this increasingly uncontrollable passion.

Excessive intoxication inevitably leads to confusion; one must always be vigilant. The inchworm still remembered the scene when it first met the hermit lady in the third habitat. Steel-forged vertebrae extended and spread out from under her robe, and the way she examined itself was as if she were looking at an insignificant speck of dust.

Her promotion stemmed from a whim, and taking it all back would be just as easy for her.

A chilling sense of fear dispelled the confusion and illusion, and the inchworm regained its clarity.

He closed his eyes and quietly concentrated, focusing his attention on the emblem pendant in his hand, and then devoted himself to the study and interpretation of the Mysterious Mist Ritual.

……

Just like Schrödinger's cat theory, before the box is opened, the cat is in a superposition of being both alive and dead. And before the veil of conjecture is lifted, no one knows whether the mystery will become a law or a fallacy; it is in a superposition of being both real and absurd.

After a night of spiritual contemplation in a dream, a second-class secret technique has taken shape in the inchworm's brain.

【Equal Settlement (Law)】

[This spell simultaneously assesses the value of both the caster and the recipient, then exchanges one or more of the caster's inanimate objects for items of equal value held by the recipient. The spell's range is the distance reachable by the caster's spirit.]

-

Unequal delivery (fallacy)

[A value assessment is conducted between the caster and the recipient, followed by the exchange of one or more of the caster's possessions for the recipient's possessions. This value exchange will be unstable, with the caster needing to pay an additional 2-3 times the value of the recipient's possessions.]

Through clear textual description, this secret technique of "Qun: 八〉′啎）≠七≤镏￣∥》彡●柶●司陑" is quite easy to understand.

However, the inchworm couldn't know the specific effects of the fully formed secret technique model; it could only speculate based on its fundamental operating principles. In its understanding, there was almost no difference in composition between [equal delivery] and [unequal delivery]...