The Record of Unusual Creatures

Panda Novel

There was no doubt about the sampling accuracy and computing power of the MDT. Except for the Crapple Research Station, CARS, Hao Ren could not find any other data processing instrument that could rival that of the MDT. So Hao Ren completely trusted the results: space and time within this enclosed ruin space had been standing still.

“You mentioned that the Ancient Magic Empire had not mastered the technique of time manipulation?” He looked at Master Hymer with a somber face.

Hymer was slightly surprised. He may have been the one who made the assumption that time stood still in the ruins, but he found it incredible when his hypothesis was confirmed correct. “Supposedly. The history of the Ancient Magic Empire may be incomplete, and most of it has become mere legend. However, our mage guild has always focused on historical material collection. So we have more materials on the Ancient Magic Empire than most people. From the materials we have, the mage emperors had indeed not studied about time. There isn’t the slightest mention of it in the historical materials.”

“Such an important technology couldn’t have emerged out of thin air. Since all the historical materials have no mention about it, I’m afraid that the ancient mage emperors indeed could not control time,” Vivian said. “And if they could, then they would not have been that helpless when it came to fighting the First Born—at least not destructed entirely.”

“So there must be some other reason that time had stood still.” Hao Ren said as he walked toward the rooms around the hall. “Let’s check around the place. We might be able to find some clues since time flow has just resumed here.”

Hao Ren rued he had come a little too late. Had he received information when the Holletta investigation team found the ruins, he would have come immediately and seen the moment when time flow resumed. But a few days had passed; many clues might have disappeared.

For example, the magic circle and alchemical containers that Hymer described as still running when he opened the door but now stopped.

Even so, Hao Ren could still see from the signs of time had once stood still.

Every inch of the chamber was spotless. The ground and the furnishings were as clean as a new pin. Had they been abandoned for 10,000 years, then even if there were no weathering, there would have been at least a thick layer dust. Hao Ren opened some un-locked rooms and saw the well-preserved furnishings inside. They were so clean as if the occupants had just left and would return soon.

Only a few messy bits and pieces and papers that could somehow make the place look “abandoned.”

Hao Ren also saw the experimental equipment that Master Hymer had mentioned. The machines had just stopped and still retained some residual heat or magic reaction, which was evidence that was even hard to ignore.

“Don’t you feel they look familiar?” In a large laboratory in the southeast corner of the chamber, Hao Ren pointed to the contents of the room and asked, “Those jars and connectors, and the two culture containers. They are too familiar.”

It was a rectangular laboratory, light-year more advanced than the current alchemical technology of Holletta. There were strict safety inspection, dust removal, static elimination, and air filtering from the lab entrance to the laboratory area. These things were incredibly advanced, both technologically and conceptually. The so-called “alchemy hut” on this planet seemed like a toy in front of this advanced facility. On the glass passage in the dust-removing zone, Hao Ren even saw a detailed work procedure, which marked in words and pictures the rules that the laboratory personnel must follow, including changing of clothes, removing metal belongings, and prohibiting sick staff. Next to this work procedure was a thin crystal plate on where green text was floating, detailing some person names and times. Perhaps it was the last record of personnel working in the labs.

The MDT had checked; the crystal plate used magic power to store data. Maximum data retaining time was no more than half a month: this again confirmed the fact that time had stood still here.

The familiar things that Hao Ren was talking about was a heap of sophisticated equipment in the center of the lab.

Several drums made of metal and glass stood in the recesses in the ground in the center of the lab. About one-third of the mysterious liquid was visible in the vessel. Complex tubes and cables connected the drums to the equipment and magic circle not far away. On the experimental benches next to this equipment were some metal tables. These tables, on which magic circle floated, looked like some monitoring instrument. There several sealed metal cans, each with a tag stating the serial number and seal time, near the wall of the room.

“I remember it.” Vivian frowned. “The style of these things look like the Sacred Relic of Origins.”

“Not only the style but also the structure,” Hao Ren said. “The Sacred Relic of Origins is more like a miniaturized version of these things, or rather the final version. The Sacred Relic of Origins has been able to ‘assemble’ the demon hunters. So it is the finished product. The equipment here is too large, cumbersome, and energy consumption is too high. They should be the prototypes.”

“What is the Sacred Relic of Origins?” Hymer had no idea what Hao Ren was talking about.

“You don’t know that?” Hao Ren was a little surprised. But he quickly realized that though he had told Ophra about it, the information had never disclosed publicly. Hymer, who was not involved in the incident, naturally did not know about the sacred object. “That was a device that the Ancient Magic Empire created when they studied the origin of life. It was used to artificially synthesize the ‘perfect creature.’ The Ancients were the product of this plan. Of course, that was in the past. The Ancients have now become part of Holletta’s nature and nothing to do with the Ancient Magic Empire.”

Earlier, Hymer had already carried out some inspections around the ruins. He had some knowledge about the lab but not the Sacred Relic of Origins. Now Hao Ren had opened Hymer’s mind.

Besides this lab, there were four other labs with similar equipment: ​​large culture vessels, biological tubes, and radiation-generating equipment. The structures of these labs were similar; they should be the different functional labs working for the same project.

It was still impossible to enter the deeper part of the ruins, but Hao Ren had roughly guessed what this place was.

It was the birthplace of the demon hunters.

The original test site where the Ancient Magic Empire created the “perfect life form” was here.

“I can’t believe I’m finding it here.” The discovery felt so dramatic that Vivian found it incredible. “If I’m not mistaken, the biology experts of the Ancient Magic Empire made the demon hunters here. No wonder! This place is right at the border of several magic empires. It acts as a natural buffer and intermixture zone, making it the ideal location for a joint underground project.”

Hao Ren remained silent. He looked down at the information that he had found on a nearby experimental bench. Most of the materials had been intentionally destructed or taken away, but there were still some less important paper notes left. Because time had stood still, these paper notes of 10,000 years old were as good as new.

Some experimenter had probably written these notes. There was no vital information on the experiment, such as the parameters of making the “perfect life form” and specific personnel arrangement, but even seemingly casual notes were enough to arouse Hao Ren’s interest.

“Day XXX, the experimental body in the third container has lost vitality. Reason for failure is unknown. Maybe we should not inject too much lifeblood into him.

“Day XXX, the experimental body in the second container is still alive, but there is a severe mutation. The overgrown and distorted limbs almost fill the entire tank, and the brain of the experimental body cannot control its powerful limbs. We have to terminate it. Fusing the mortal cell with the primordial cell of the lifeblood is indeed a challenge. We have to choose another solution.

“Day XXX, there was an explosion in the fourth lab. A container was blown up. Fortunately, it did not affect other things. The cause of the explosion was that the experimental body in the tank suddenly awakened and reacted violently. She probably felt a sense of danger or maybe just unable to control her own energy. In any case, this gives everyone a wake-up call: We are making an unusually powerful creature; they are born with the power that takes an ordinary human a lifetime to acquire. Even if they are only in the drum, they are more destructive than fully armed warriors and mages.

“Day XXX, surprisingly good news: we detected highly active ‘divine cells’ in the aftermath of the explosion in the fourth lab. Amazingly, these cells are still alive and retain a strong divine power. And perhaps because of the impact of the explosion, the cells have a high degree of compatibility with the mortal cells, and can coexist peacefully with the latter! This may be the breakthrough that we have been seeking since the beginning. The first divine decree is too vague, so much so that we have wasted a lot of time and effort. But by goddess’ mercy, we have finally understood your will. These precious cells will become the key to the whole project. I can’t wait to see the results of their new experimental body!”

The notes ended abruptly. There were no torn or defaced pages, so that was likely the end of the whole record.

Even so, the contents of the notes were enough to knock Hao Ren’s socks off.

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