Chapter 587 - 229: Initiation

"Damn it, make it shut up!" Escobar’s face went pale. Although he knew Wei’en was a relatively easygoing Wizard, to be cursed like this by a low-level undead creature...

The two Witches, Christa and Oshana, shared a look, and both could see the... mortification? in the other’s eyes.

Oshana, in particular, who had proposed showing the research results to Wei’en, was filled with regret. ’This... this... The Director won’t blame me for this, will he?’

"You have a lot of nerve, zombie!"

The Mutated Mage, Adolph, whipped several tentacles around the pirate zombie’s body, looking as if he was just waiting for Wei’en’s word to extinguish its Origin Core, even if it meant sacrificing their research findings.

Ausel also extended his pitch-black fingers, gathering a ball of dim, black light, ready to unleash his plague toxin on the pirate zombie.

"GURK! GURK!"

The pirate zombie struggled wildly, its ghastly white eyes locked onto the Mutated Mage. A fluorescent light flickered on its two thick, alloy mechanical arms, and the fluctuations from the Soul Fusion Rune were incredibly intense.

"My apologies, Director. It hasn’t been contracted, so..."

Teresa glared at the pirate zombie. She never expected that the first words out of this thing’s mouth would be to curse the highest-ranking person here.

But she also didn’t want this zombie, which held special significance, to be killed by Aldorf over something like this. It would be such a waste.

"Stand down."

Wei’en raised a hand to stop Adolph. He studied the pirate zombie, paying no mind to its words, then gestured and said, "First, report on the specific experimental procedures, Christa."

"Yes, Director!"

Christa breathed a sigh of relief, taking out a sheet of parchment to narrate the entire experimental process, including all anomalies and the countermeasures taken.

In truth, the pirate zombie had just scared her half to death...

It wasn’t uncommon within the Ghost Soul School for Undead Creatures to show dissatisfaction and disrespect toward a Wizard.

But without exception, their fate was to be placed on a Research Center’s Binding Platform by those Wizards to undergo some very extreme experiments.

’Thank goodness...’

"Director, after my last report to you, I conducted two more experiments using the previous method. While keeping the experimental procedures unchanged, for the first one, I activated the Earth Spirit Array earlier. The exact interval was thirteen seconds, which resulted in a slightly increased fusion effect compared to the last attempt, therefore..."

"At the same time, for further confirmation, with the help of a few seniors, we rushed to fabricate alloy mechanical leg limbs for another experiment. The results were the same as before."

"Once everything stabilized, initial tests showed that the zombie creature’s Origin Core eruption can reach its limbs. Its physical attack power alone has increased by forty percent compared to before the modification. Also..."

Christa reported all the procedures and subsequent tests in one breath. Only then did she let out a long sigh, calm her racing heart, and look at Wei’en. "Director, that was the complete process for our seven hundred and thirty-fourth experiment!"

’Two experiments, and the second was a direct success with an interval of twelve-point-five seconds?’

’During the fusion process, the Array on the alloy mechanical arms exhibits some rejection of the Undying Body. This is likely the main reason for failure.’

’However, the Soul Fusion Rune is working as expected. After a successful fusion, it can effectively transmit the Origin Power of the Undead Creature. That part doesn’t need to be changed.’

’It seems I’ll have to try making that Magic Potion I was thinking about.’

’Perhaps I also need to further my knowledge of runology to find a rune or an Array that can coordinate with the Earth Spirit Rune Array...’

Wei’en silently noted these key points and nodded. "The results are good, but we haven’t reached the perfect solution yet. There are a few issues that need to be confirmed and resolved..."

"First, the fusion process is still too difficult. Or rather, there are still some unstable factors that we need to identify and solve one by one."

"Second, we need to determine if the zombie creature’s level affects the fusion. For example, we’re using a captain-level one now, but we’ll need to run experiments to confirm the results with minister-level and Director Level zombies as well."

"Third, we’ve only created mechanical limbs so far. We also need to attempt fusion on other body parts, with the eyes as a priority. I can suggest a few directions here: one is Rune Branding with embedded Magic effects, or reconnaissance and detection Rune Arrays..."

Teresa and the others didn’t hesitate, quickly recording Wei’en’s words on their parchment. It felt very much like listening to a basic lecture at the school during their apprentice days.

As they wrote, they all mentally contemplated the validity of Wei’en’s suggestions. The more they thought, the more they felt that the Director’s insights were not only clear but also highly practical and incisive.

This was something that not even some of the Great Mages or high-level researchers at the Research Centers could do.

Especially for a research topic in a field no one had ever ventured into, like the mechanical modification of Undead Creatures.

’He’s—so incredible!’

"...Finally, I will personally complete a few fusion experiments later. If everything goes smoothly, we should be able to further optimize the fusion protocol."

Wei’en finished speaking calmly. There had been little time, so this was all he could think of for now. The rest would have to wait until after he completed another fusion experiment himself.

"Understood, Director. I’ve recorded it all and will reassign the research tasks among the team, integrating this with our previous arrangements."

Teresa closed the parchment. She glanced at the others and saw them nod in understanding, then turned to Wei’en and asked, "Do you have any other requests? Or do you need me to contact Dean Josue?"

"That’s all for now."