Chapter 588 - 229: Initiation

Wei’en shook his head. He had just sent out the intelligence report on the Dusk Sect. By his calculations, Director Amiditch should have already read it and begun reporting to the Wizard School’s upper echelon.

Until he received a reply with his next set of instructions, he had neither the mind nor the energy to start the research project.

’And then there’s the Spiritual Mystery School...’

’I wonder if their fate-divination system will even validate the intelligence I provided...’

"If there’s nothing else, we can discuss it tomorrow."

"Alright... No, there is one more thing."

Teresa hesitated, a flicker of annoyance flashing in her bright eyes from behind her gold-rimmed glasses. "Director, word about our research institute’s project has been spreading around the school recently. I had someone look into it and confirmed it was Senior Benoy. He..."

"Hm?" Wei’en frowned slightly. "Explain in detail. What’s the situation?"

’Benoy... wasn’t that the young wizard I kicked out of the research institute at the very beginning?’

"This is what happened..."

As Teresa explained, Wei’en’s expression gradually returned to its usual calm.

Apparently, after being kicked out, Benoy had been spreading rumors everywhere, claiming that the research project on mechanically modifying Undead Creatures was fundamentally flawed and doomed to fail. He called Wei’en a total fraud and alleged that the magic he used was enhanced by some kind of forbidden artifact.

Normally, no one would have believed such slander, but as a young Second-level Researcher, Benoy unfortunately had quite a few admirers within the Wizard School, so the matter blew up.

Even after Dean Josue of the Feng Enliso Research Center spoke out, it failed to stop other wizards from slandering Research Institute No. 66 and questioning Wei’en. In fact, many talented wizards with influential backgrounds reported the issue to their mentors, hoping the school would launch a full investigation...

"Director, they’ve gone too far! Just now, Master Boras contacted me specifically to ask about the project’s progress."

Once Teresa finished, Oshana chimed in, "Director, I think we must have the Wizard School hold Benoy and his group accountable. Otherwise, it will seriously damage our research institute’s reputation."

"I agree, it’s necessary..."

Even the usually mild-mannered Escobar added grimly, "This is a great disrespect to you!"

"Is that all?" Wei’en nodded noncommittally.

"Y-yes."

"Pay it no mind. Once the research report is out, I will explain everything to the Wizard School."

Wei’en knew what his researchers were thinking, but he didn’t elaborate.

Once the fusion experiments were complete, the next step would be to conduct experiments on upgrading the zombies. The final step was to establish a protocol that would provide a direct path for them to reach the legendary tier.

This would be a lengthy process, but the periodic research reports didn’t need to wait for the final outcome.

He was confident that as soon as he reported the results of the fusion experiments to the Research Center, all this skepticism would be rendered a joke.

More importantly, he didn’t want to waste too much energy on such matters. From here on, aside from his research, he would be dedicating most of his time to the Dusk Sect.

Compared to the monsters emerging from the ’true’ time fault, these petty internal squabbles were not even worth mentioning!

Seeing his placid reaction, Teresa and the others couldn’t help but look at each other. ’The director isn’t angry?’

"Do as I said and ignore the rest. Your task is to ensure the research project is completed successfully!"

"Understood, Director..."

"Mm."

With that, before the others could say anything more, Wei’en disconnected the black communicator, and his image vanished from the illusory screen.

Teresa looked at the now-dark communicator and sighed softly. "The director’s reaction... he doesn’t act his age at all. Er, I mean, he wasn’t even angry..."

"I was thinking the same thing, senior."

Christa was also baffled. ’She herself was a famous genius witch within the Wizard School, and she’d always felt that other so-called geniuses were nothing special. She didn’t even pay much mind to some Great Mages, merely thinking they had become wizards earlier than she had.’

"Hmph. If that bastard Benoy showed his face here, I’d slaughter him," Aldorf said, the corner of his mouth twisting into a murderous smile.

"In any case, the director has spoken. We shouldn’t pay too much attention to the outside chatter, lest it affect our research progress," Escobar reminded them.

"I suppose that’s our only choice..." Teresa looked at the restrained pirate zombie, then her brow furrowed suddenly. "We can set Benoy aside for now, but as for *him*—continue the experiments!"

"We’ve been waiting for this!"

Aldorf and Ausel stared at the pirate zombie, which wore a look of untamed defiance, and chuckled sinisterly.

"Back to work..."

...

...

"...Regarding the strange decrease in the Red Moon’s contamination, has there been any response from the Spiritual Mystery School?"

At that moment, Boras was sitting in a conference room on the top floor of the Ice Castle, discussing the anomaly of the Red Moon that night, as well as other matters, with Anenep, Kaylo, and other high-ranking members of the Wizard School.

"Not yet," Anenep said, shaking his head. "I’ve already transmitted the specific data, but Chief Ragnar’s reaction was a bit strange. It’s as if he’s not concerned about the matter."

"Is that so..."

Boras leaned back in his high-backed chair, his short, lustrous white bone arms toying with a Golden Staff. The red light of the Origin Core dotting his deep, dark eye sockets flickered erratically, as he too was puzzled by the Spiritual Mystery School’s reaction.

Although the five great Wizard Schools were scattered and did not interact often, they always contacted one another when it came to the Red Moon, major crises, or their primary enemies.

With an anomaly like tonight’s, it was impossible that the Spiritual Mystery School hadn’t realized it was caused by the reappearance of the night.

Furthermore, this was different from the incident in the Caster City State. In that case, the Dawn Church’s Desecration Authority and "Forbidden Item 1-83, the Demon Clown," were two known special entities that possessed the origin of night. This time, the re-emergence of the night’s origin was already capable of affecting the Red Moon’s contamination!