When the plot-skips players into the game world

Chapter 898: Chapter 270 I Had a Lot of Fun

After mastering Elf knowledge, Aiwass could also confirm—that this trading mode could indeed be approved by market regulators.

Because essentially, one provides their own materials, and hires a Ritualist to arrange the rituals for them. Worrying that the other party might use one’s precious ritual materials without completing the ritual, they charge a deposit…

But in fact, the Ritualist is using the deposit to buy the “right to arrange the ritual” to practice.

This indeed blocks a loophole in the current rules of the Holy Nation.

In terms of Elf dignity, even if they figure it out, they won’t get mad or renege… At most, they’d patch it up, blocking this form of “deposit-based trade” afterward.

Aleister quietly conveyed these matters in her heart to the distant Aiwass—only Aiwass had become quiet, with no response.

She could only feel a silent and warm sensation coming from that end, like closing her eyes to embrace The Sun.

…Never mind, it seems he’s already asleep.

Aleister shook her head somewhat regretfully.

I’ll go see him tonight.

“What happened after that?”

She opened her eyes, questioning Paul: “How did your work proceed?”

“I think…”

Dimitri perked up.

“Shut up,” Aleister curtly interrupted him, turning to Paul, “you speak.”

“You may have already guessed… it involves pouring the high-concentration preservative from the specimen barrels along with the slave corpses inside into the sea.”

Paul answered respectfully.

“I did think of it,” Aleister nodded, “but even if they are concentrated… How much preservative would you need to pollute marine life, considering the dilution and self-cleaning effects of the ocean? Wouldn’t it be better to first run an experimental pool to simulate the biosphere and test it there?”

“That’s all been done already.”

Paul nodded: “It’s feasible—we aim to test how the ocean current will dilute it over time and distance, and how marine life migrates spontaneously.”

“Ocean currents?”

Aiwass said subconsciously, then suddenly realized something.

She widened her eyes: “Wait, I remember… the sea route from the Holy Nation to Star Antimony…”

“That’s right, the current in this region flows from north to south. Meaning, these ‘strangulations’ will eventually return to the nearshore areas north of Star Antimony. As long as the Magic Potion is diluted to a certain level, it’s harmless to the body—so the experiment is absolutely secretive. If no one gets sick from it, the experiment will never be discovered.

“Because under natural conditions, this Magic Potion ingredient couldn’t exist. And since these Magic Potion are banned, these fishermen and fish aren’t likely to come into contact with them…

“So ultimately, all we need to do is periodically test whether the ‘strangulation’ components are present in the port fishermen’s bodies, and regularly sample different distant ocean fishing groups to gather quite precise data.”

Paul spoke softly.

It was only then that Dimitri truly grasped the full picture of the experiment.

“Wait…?”

He looked incredulously at his colleague: “You mean to say, it will ultimately flow toward us?”

“Of course,” Paul nodded, “if it flows to other countries, how could we regularly test it?”

“You said it’s a type of Weapon, why would Star Antimony’s Weapon harm Stibnite first…?”

Dimitri found this hard to comprehend: “Isn’t the Spirit Summoning Tower quite close to the fishing grounds? You and they… aren’t you guys close?”

Paul wanted to explain, but he opened his mouth and then sighed, choosing to remain silent.

Aleister sneered on the side: “Stibnite’s Weapons have harmed Stibnite more than once, just because you high Tower scholars are far from the true facts.

“For example… Armed Gargoyle, you’ve heard of them,”

The black-haired noble girl coaxed cunningly.

“I know, that’s Albert Lorey’s creation!”

Dimitri boasted proudly of his friend and senior’s achievement: “It’s a mass-produced weapon fearless of dispersion, fully capable of automatic combat! If they had appeared and produced earlier… those Avalonians’ Gryphons definitely wouldn’t stand a chance!”

“Useless.”

Paul suddenly threw cold water on him: “They can’t catch up to Gryphons.”

“Ah…”

Dimitri hesitated, thinking it seemed right.

“Did you know,” Aleister said breezily, “how much Energy the Armed Gargoyles need when in actual combat?”

“…Energy?”

Dimitri paused, and even Paul looked up curiously.

Clearly, they had never considered such a thing—the various Necromancy products in the lab, when not needed, were all in dormancy and continuously recharging. Being short of Energy was quite an alien concept.

“Mass-produced weapons demand sustained combat. How much time can be allocated for recharging? You know how troublesome it would be to maintain their supply lines during a cross-sea operation, right?”

“…Cross-sea?”

Dimitri tilted his head, not quite comprehending, “Why cross-sea? Stibnite doesn’t have any overseas territories.”

Paul’s pupils shrank—he clearly understood what Aleister meant.

Aleister glanced at him, the corners of her mouth slightly raised.

“You sly dog.”

She pointed at Paul from a distance, implying, “To have understood so quickly… you must have guessed already.”

“Guessed what?”

“…The Armed Gargoyles are meant for invasion, not defense.”

Paul was silent for a moment, then responded, “As I said—they can’t keep up with the Gryphon.”

As defensive weapons, they were too slow, not swift enough in reaction, and prone to causing accidental harm—all of which made them completely unsuitable.

But as offensive weapons…

“…well?”

“They couldn’t possibly use charging piles,” Paul quickly deduced, “The charging piles at the Spirit Summoning Tower are because of our major underground rituals. If we need to create temporary charging piles outside, it would require setting up rituals on-site. A standard landing gear that accommodates twelve Armed Gargoyles would need at least a Third Level Ritualist’s entire Mana…”

“…So, they would use another method to recharge?”

“Another method…”

Hearing this, Dimitri also realized: “Consuming humans… right?”

His expression immediately turned stern, his brows furrowed tightly. The previously lighthearted mood fell silent.

“…The military could indeed do such a thing.”

Paul was silent for a moment, then took a deep breath, “I roughly know when they did the experiment. They had tested it before…”

“Testing?” Dimitri asked.

“The testing of the Armed Gargoyles, which was last year. Remember when our corpse quotas were reduced? I went to the military to request newly executed death row inmates.”

Paul explained, “Usually, these death row inmates should be drained of blood to death, and some are by hanging or firing squad, but generally, their internal organs are fresh and intact. But when I asked them repeatedly with the professor’s list, they just reluctantly gave me a few carts of rotten flesh… a lot of which had traces of machine gun fire.”

“Ah!”

Dimitri recalled, “At that time we were always learning about corpse stitching and beautification in advance… So that was the reason!”

“I actually guessed that it was related to Armed Gargoyles at that time. Because the military wouldn’t just rely on test field results, they must have run their own tests afterward. At that time, I saw some bodies with bite marks… I thought they were testing the close combat capabilities of the Armed Gargoyles.”

Paul frowned tightly, “It turns out they were testing… the Gargoyles’ devouring ability.”

Typically, a Necromancer would not allow their creations to consume corpses.

Each Undead unit’s capacity for Dusk Power is precisely calculated. The so-called “stacking of corpses is a taboo”; once the Undead start consuming other bodies, they can easily go mad or lose control.

Dimitri blurted out, “It’s good they didn’t get a chance to invade, this is really detestable! If they attacked us, would we also have to cover for the military?”

“…I need to speak to my mentor.”

As Paul said this, he glanced inadvertently at Aleister.

Only then did he remember that they were prisoners detained here by Aleister.

At this moment, the room’s door suddenly knocked.

A shadow appeared from a corner they hadn’t noticed—it was the butler who had captured them.

He had been here all along; they just hadn’t seen him!

“Hello…”

A slow voice rang out.

The person outside the door was Professor Laximi.

He nodded slightly, very politely addressing the Honey Badger, “My students… might have wandered here by mistake. May I take them away?”

“—Professor Laximi, right.”

As Aleister rose from the sofa and approached.

Professor Laximi noticed Aleister’s pupils. Then, lowering his gaze, he noticed the black cross necklace on her neck.

With a slight bow, he greeted Aleister, “Yes, miss. My name is Odvar Lasimi.”

“I am Aleister Crowley.”

Aleister performed an elegant curtsey, then smiled and said, “Take them away.

“—I had a lot of fun.”

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