章 26: The Life Code
編集者: Zayn_
Entering the mentor's room, Grimm saw a high-class microscope sitting on the mentor's testing table. According to Varro, it was an ultra-microscope, and because that microscope mainly dealt with tiny particles with a diameter below the wavelength of visible light, it had been designed to function based on light scattering, rather than the usual method of illumination - light reflection.
Grimm had observed that every single cell in the rats' bodies had turned red using his old microscope, and now his job was to put the rats in liquid for an ultra-microscopic examination.
Half a day afterward, Grimm discovered that most of the cells in the rats were not red throughout, but only in a small section of it.
"The olfactory-enhancing medicine has been tinted red with the synthesized pigment. And a part of the cells is red. Does that mean the medicine only worked on a small part of the rats' cell?" Grimm turned to Varro, but the latter couldn't think of anything to reply.
"But what is this small part? And why does it look so fuzzy?" Grimm thought aloud.
"It may be because of the scattered light thing! Likely that's why the images appeared fuzzy." Varro had learned that from his mentor and was finally able to take part in the process.
A nod was Grimm's response.
Although a little bit discontented since the small parts blurred, and thus a fancier microscope would be needed, Grimm now was ever more beguiled by the superb power that had ameliorated one's ability to smell. He was ever more pleased by the prospect of finding out the ultimate cause of it.
Grimm seized the opportunity to look at the five-legged frog, too. He was assured that there were no hematological alterations in the frog after a full and thorough observation with the ultra-microscope. So he naturally thought the mutation of the frog might be related to the frog's own small part of cells, and since the small invisible section had such a strong power that it could change life forms, Grimm named it the Life Code.
"The Life Code must be something fundamental," Grimm talked as if no one was around.
He had seen a transformation once back in Bi Seer city when Sorcerer Apollo morphed a knight into a pig. But that sorcery was much simpler and more understandable. That sort of sorcery drew the soul out of someone's body and planted it in another one, thus transforming the receiver on a temporary basis. But obviously, Life Code had caused some permanent and irreversible modification.
There were those who were less well-informed and thus might have ascribed all the peculiar things such as transformation to the will of the omnipotent beings. But there were no almighties or religious belief in the eyes of sorcerers, and if there was one, the centuries-old sorcerers must have been intrigued. They would hunt it down, catch it, slice it and study it under the microscope, as they had done to some self-claimed almighty gods on Foreign Land, who turned out to be just more intelligent life forms. But the majority of sorcerers on the Sorcery Continent did hold unknown life forms on the uncharted lands in awe.
At the time, the door was opened and the black cat came in languidly.
"Your mentor is on his way back. Off you go now, if you want to have your life spared!" The cat drawled.
Grimm's face darkened hearing the news, and in his mind, he could see the terrible ways of deaths if he was caught by Varo's mentor fiddling with his precious microscope. The next moment, Grimm threw all his stuff into a large bag, slung it over his shoulder and hurried out of the room. At the door, the cat gazed at Grimm and said: "Bring the same amount of stones and you can use the microscope again."
Grimm had neither time nor was he in the mood to answer the cat back and swirled downstairs with Varro.
Grimm rushed directly to the first floor and only stopped once he felt he was safe. He then went over to a store selling experiment materials. He also bought a crane.
"The Symbolic Insects have to be raised before the First-Year Sorcery Test." Grimm put a few Gadfly larvae into the crane's body and hoped that they could end up as qualified symbolic insects.
On the 15th day after Grimm planted the larvae, he came over to the crane in captivity after he finished his daily meditation. He stepped closer to the crane and by using his mental strength, he began to feel the growth of the larvae in the crane's stomach, which had actually meta-morphed to pupas.
"Everything is going well, and in a month, they will grow into adults. Hopefully they will be my first Symbolic Insects."
Grimm's crystal ball beeped and a familiar voice was heard:
"Sorry to bother. I am well aware that you are preparing for your sorcery test but I am really in an emergency. A sorcerer is in need of some of your Love Vials." It was Dickens, the one who had sold Grimm's Love Vials.
In a flash, a nice-looking face appeared in Grimm's crystal ball and she said:
"So you are the one who has invented the Love Vial, haven't you? You are good to create something like that!"
'Oh my. Isn't she Elaine? The sorcerer who gave me the first lecture, and the one who ate centipedes in class?' Grimm managed an unperturbed complexion.
Grimm dithered because it was his understanding that getting related to a sorcerer may forebode evil unless it involved discipleship.
"I am asking you to concoct 30 vials for me. I mean, for females. And as for the reward, you name a figure," Elaine said in a soft yet demanding tone.
As Grimm was wavering, Elaine reassured him that she would give him something for the test when she receives the vials. She then ended the conversation.
"I'd better buy myself some Sorcery Tools to defend against the possible curses for now."
Grimm wasn't planning to buy Sorcery Tools to go against Elaine's or any other sorcerer's wishes, because if they had made up their mind to kill him, there would be no way to evade them, and there would be no way as well for the LET to ever find it out. Grimm was just counting on the tools to give him a sense of security, because he now felt that he was in an ever more threatening world as his social circle expanded.
Grimm then ran to Dickens at the trading market for consultation over which Sorcery Tools would be more effective against curses.
"HaHa! I happened to have some," Dickens replied.
"Really? Show me some, then." Grimm's eyes widened with delight.
"This is a drop of Mermaid's tear. It will work three hours after you sprayed it on your neck. It sells at 50 magical stones."
Dickens noticed Grimm's dark face and grabbed another tool.
"The Gold Ring for permanent use. Lowest offer: 600 stones." Dickens continued.
"You may not be satisfied with the above two, but you certainly will fall at this – the Tweeting Twig. Every sorcerer has one hung on their neck. It won't keep you safe from being cursed but will keep the damage from worsening for some time. That buys you the most precious time to lift the curse."
Grimm seemed motivated and asked: "How much does it cost?"
"800!"
"800?!" Grimm repeated it only with a louder voice.
"That may seem unaffordable for you. But will you consider a partnership?"
"What kind of partnership?"
"We start a new store which will be dedicated to selling the Love Vial. What you need to do is to give me its formula, and in return, you will get 60 percent of the sales. And I get 40. What do you say?"
"And as a gesture of good faith, I decided to offer you 50 intermediate magical stones as an advance payment," Dickens said seriously, "and to rest your heart, we will sign a Seven Ring Contract of Partnership."
"50 intermediate stones? A Seven Ring Contract of Partnership?" Grimm was overwhelmed by a deluge of information.
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