Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 2400: Chapter 2401: Extending Vision

As Reynaud touched the door of the Exhibition Room, an Authority Eye slowly emerged.

When the Authority Eye locked onto Reynaud, his mood became unusually uneasy.

On the first floor, he wasn’t too worried, but after the ambush on the second floor, Reynaud became somewhat apprehensive, fearing that his permissions might be altered by a higher order.

Fortunately, after two or three seconds of identification, the Authority Eye smoothly transitioned from yellow to green light.

The door opened.

Reynaud’s permissions were not revoked, at least he could still enter the second-floor Exhibition Room.

As Reynaud breathed a sigh of relief, Nis also let out a long breath, he was actually more worried than Reynaud about being unable to enter the Exhibition Room, after all, the Exhibition Room held visible gains. It seems that luck was still on their side.

The layout of the second-floor Exhibition Room was exactly the same as the first floor, except the exhibits were different.

Nis learned from the first-floor experience and didn’t waste even a second. After entering the room, he walked among the exhibits, filtering and selecting quickly.

However, only after a minute of screening, Nis knew that rapid selection would be difficult.

Because the number of exhibits here was significantly more than on the first floor, and many had bizarre limb shapes. Identifying the sources in a short time was not that simple.

Just like the container on the metal platform to Nis’ left, it contained a slender fleshy tendril, apart from being a dull gray, it had no other obvious features. At first glance, Nis thought it was a kind of deep-sea fish lure, like the little lantern atop an anglerfish.

If it was a lure, it wouldn’t hold much value, so Nis quickly moved past it, but after a few steps, he came back because he suddenly remembered a type of gray-skinned ghost from the Abyss, namely the Obscure Demon, which also had similar tendrils atop its head.

So, it was possible that this was a demon tendril. If it was indeed a demon tendril, its value would instantly rise, excluding the internal Soul Arms, its outright value would be higher than the three items he acquired on the first floor.

Nis then stood beside the container, contemplating, and he found that the more he thought, the more inspired he became.

Not just as a lure or demon tendril, he also thought of several other creatures with similar tendrils, of which the highest in value was the Void Angler, and the lowest was the cardiac tentacle of a certain Ghoul.

This left him in a dilemma, what exactly was this tendril?

Such situations didn’t just occur with the tendril, there were many exhibits like this on the second floor, which displayed only part of the organs with no obvious characteristics, making it quite difficult to determine their value.

Ultimately, Nis could only ask Kanter for help.

But Kanter couldn’t identify everything either, at best, he was slightly better than Nis. Moreover, Kanter discovered that some extra-territorial creature organs had been added to the second-floor Exhibition Room.

For example, a two-meter-long, white-furred thick arm that Kanter recognized as belonging to a snow creature from the Northern Territory Wizards’ Realm.

Many non-Southern Domain native organs that Kanter could recognize were due to luck.

Even with their combined efficiency, they weren’t very fast.

"Forget it, we’ll just stay longer if needed, at worst, we’ll face the hunting sequence again." In the end, Nis accepted the situation, surpassing the time limit didn’t matter anymore.

After switching to meticulous selection mode, Nis didn’t forget to ask Reynaud, "Is the limit on the second floor also three items?"

Reynaud thought for a moment, then nodded, "It should be three items."

Nis sighed, murmuring quietly, "If it weren’t for worrying about the Magical Energy Array, who would follow the rules..."

Just then, a familiar voice echoed from the Mind Ribbon.

"It’s not three items, here you can only take two."

Nis was taken aback, "Angel?"

Angel: "It’s me, I heard your conversation just now, currently on the second floor you can only take two items."

Nis: "How do you know?"

Angel: "I saw it, of course."

Saw it? Nis immediately thought Angel might have discovered a clue through the Magical Energy Array. But soon, Nis realized something was wrong, he clearly remembered Angel mentioning that his control node only managed the first-floor Magic Pattern layout. If Angel discovered it through the Magical Energy Array, how did he find the second-floor’s Magical Energy Array information?

While Nis was filled with suspicion, Angel’s voice sounded again: "Oh right, the container on the metal platform just to your left turn, where you stood for almost a minute."

Nis looked over in confusion, and Angel was indeed referring to the tendril from earlier.

"That’s an Obscure Demon’s tendril. They can sense external malice through the tendrils’ vibrations, it’s an organ that can compensate for reconnaissance capabilities, it’s supposed to be quite valuable."

Nis looked at the limp tendril in the container, feeling a mix of sentiment and perplexity:

"So it really is an Obscure Demon’s tendril!"

"But how did you know I stood here for a minute?"

Angel: "I told you already, I saw it. Turn your head forty-five degrees to the left, then look up..."

Not only Nis, but Kanter and Reynaud looked over too. They discovered that the direction Angel indicated was exactly where the Exhibition Room’s door was.

At this moment, above the Exhibition Room’s door, an Authority Eye was faintly hovering on the nameplate, winking at Nis.

"When did this Authority Eye appear?!" Reynaud exclaimed in surprise.

Nis glanced at Reynaud, saying softly, "You shouldn’t be so surprised about when it appeared, but rather... is it being controlled by Angel?"

"It’s me." Angel manipulated the Authority Eye to nod up and down, also emitting a little green light, "I used it to observe your side of things."

Nis walked near the Authority Eye, curiously asking, "How did you do it?"

Angel: "Are you sure you want to hear it now? You have three minutes remaining, after three minutes, four Magic Pattern nodes will be triggered, three should be the hunting sequences you’ve encountered before, and another seems to be some kind of remote transmission switch."

This meant that exceeding the time limit on the second floor not only involved facing the hunting sequences but also possibly being discovered by others.

For Nis, if it were just the hunting sequences, it would be manageable; but being discovered by others could mean he might not get ahold of the items on the lower floors, especially the information he most desired.

Previously, Nis thought it didn’t matter to stretch the time, but now it couldn’t be done, he hurried back to the display case to continue the selection.

While Nis was earnestly choosing, Angel briefly described his situation.

Previously, Nis asked Angel to check whether they had triggered any Magical Energy Array on the first floor. During his inspection, Angel found something interesting.

The first and second-floor Exhibition Rooms were vertically aligned.

This meant the ceiling of the second-floor Exhibition Room was the floor of the first-floor Exhibition Room.

More interestingly, the mechanism for the Authority Eye was hidden in the gap between the two Exhibition Rooms. The mechanism contained two Authority Eyes, one for the first-floor Exhibition Room and the other for the second-floor Exhibition Room.

Because the Authority Eyes were in the same mechanism, it provided Angel a perfect opportunity.

When the second-floor Exhibition Room’s door opened and the Authority Eye was activated, Angel seized the chance to control it, which led to the current scenario.

Clearly, Angel was at the first floor’s sub-control node, yet using the Authority Eye’s vision, he saw the situation in the second-floor Exhibition Room.

"Is this considered a design loophole?" Nis said distractedly while sifting through exhibits, speaking through the Mind Ribbon.

Kanter: "Perhaps, originally this was a kind of design. It was just Angel’s appearance that turned it into a loophole."

Nis: "That’s possible, after all, not everyone can crack the Magical Energy Array to this extent..."

After expressing his sentiment, Nis suddenly thought of something: "By the way, since you can control the Authority Eye now, can you make it not glow to extend our time in the Exhibition Room?"

Angel: "... I can control the Authority Eye not to glow, but not glowing doesn’t mean not triggering the room’s rules, they are two completely different systems."

Angel’s meaning was clear; he could control the Authority Eye, but he couldn’t control the second-floor’s Magical Energy Array rules.

"Then how did you just discover you could only take two items?"

Angel: "I’ve answered before, I saw it, using the Authority Eye’s vision."

Nis pondered for a while before understanding Angel’s meaning; he didn’t sense it via the first floor’s sub-control node, but directly observed the magic pattern directions in the second-floor Exhibition Room through the Authority Eye, discovering the clue.

This kind of remote operation... Nis could only express admiration.

As time passed, the three-minute countdown began.

Since there were many organs Nis didn’t recognize, he finally chose "Obscure Demon’s Tentacle" and the "Snow Monster Arm from Northern Territory Wizards’ Realm".

The Snow Monster Arm was obviously for Angel, mainly to see if Nausicaa wanted it.

Although from Angel’s personal view, the Snow Monster Arm seemed a bit too weird, compared to the crab claw Nis took on the first floor, it was more human-like, and such a powerfully filled arm, Nausicaa might accept it? Thinking of Sanders transplanting the Phantom Mantis’s scythe arm, which was actually mimicry in usual hand form, from an aesthetic perspective, it seemed acceptable.

After selecting the exhibits, everyone prepared to leave the Exhibition Room.

At this moment, Angel’s voice sounded in the Mind Ribbon: "Remember to bring this Authority Eye with you before you leave."

Nis didn’t question why, directly manipulating a Soul Arm to grip the Authority Eye at the moment the time limit ended, bringing it out of the Exhibition Room.

Standing outside the tightly closed Exhibition Room door, Nis asked: "Are you planning to use this Authority Eye to achieve your vision?"

"I have that thought, as I can only control this Authority Eye. However, besides using it as my eyes, I actually have a small idea."

"A small idea? What idea?"

About ten minutes later, Nis and others stood before a narrow corridor.

Though they hadn’t stepped into this corridor, the crisis sense within their souls started urgently warning them.

Do not enter.

Absolutely do not enter!

Even though Nis didn’t know what the danger was, it was certain that this seemingly ordinary corridor was the source of danger.

Even Kanter, at this time, had a solemn expression.

Reynaud, however, hid several meters away, eyes filled with terror: "This is the Forbidden Corridor, absolutely can’t enter!"

"Forbidden Corridor?" Nis looked over in confusion.

Reynaud: "Everyone in the laboratory knows, this is the Forbidden Corridor, containing the most dangerous mechanisms, left behind by the laboratory’s creator. Even the top three sequences are forbidden to enter!"

Hearing Reynaud’s words, Nis’s face turned livid, speaking word by word through the Mind Ribbon: "This is your ’small idea’?"

Even through information transmission via the Mind Ribbon, Angel could sense Nis’s gritted tone.

Angel: "Yes, unless there’s an accident, inside is the second-floor Magical Energy Array’s sub-control node."

Nis: "You want us to go in?"

Angel: "Not all of you need to go in, just choose one to enter, remember to take the Authority Eye."

Nis: "You want us to take the Authority Eye, actually to see the second-floor sub-control node?"

Angel: "Correct. Don’t worry, although the corridor is dangerous, with me here, nothing will happen."

After a pause, Angel astutely didn’t provide a choice of "go or not," but directly asked: "Who will go? Wizard Nis or Lord Kanter?"

Nis evidently was hooked on stirring things up: "Why not let Reynaud go?"

Angel nonchalantly replied: "He can go too, you hand him the Authority Eye, and I’ll guide him to the position inside."

Nis really wanted to hand the Authority Eye to Reynaud, but Reynaud had more important uses; should he take the wrong path, he wouldn’t even have the ability to save himself.

Just as Nis hesitated, Kanter reached out, taking the Authority Eye from Nis.

With a light touch of his fingertip on the Authority Eye, it flew up, revolving around Kanter.

"I’ll go." Kanter paused: "I understand a bit about Magic Patterns, at least more than Wizard Nis."

Nis’s forehead veins bulged: "..." No need to drag me in.

"I’ll go first, I also want to see the characteristics of this laboratory’s Magical Energy Array."

That said, Kanter gradually walked towards the corridor.

...

After entering the corridor, Kanter could confirm that this corridor was indeed very dangerous. With any slight misstep, the full power of the Magical Energy Array might rebound onto oneself.

With Kanter’s ability, he could barely preserve himself, but leaving unscathed would be difficult.

However, under Angel’s guidance, Kanter moved very smoothly, advancing unimpeded.

In Nis’s eyes, Kanter seemed to be casually strolling, effortlessly reaching the corridor’s end.

At the corridor’s end was a door.

Angel asked Kanter to pause, carefully identifying the magic patterns around the door.

On first glance, there was nothing unusual about the magic patterns, but recalling that hidden trigger point on the first floor, Angel meticulously checked multiple times.

Ultimately, he really found a trigger point on the inner side of the doorknob.

Informing Kanter of the trigger point’s location, Kanter naturally found a way to avoid it.

Seconds later, Kanter smoothly entered the door, finally seeing that radiant, elaborate, starlit galaxy-like magic pattern projection.