93 - Experiment

As the iron lid slowly slid open, a pungent odor rushed out, revealing a peculiar-looking man inside.

He lay there, completely naked, with dried and darkened skin, pale and cracked lips, and arms twisted grotesquely as if they had been forcibly broken. His body was covered in scars of various kinds, but he hadn't succumbed to death. He lay there, eyes closed, breathing steadily, as if in a deep slumber.

"Come and help. He won't wake up anytime soon..." Brock reluctantly said, pinching his nose.

Lynn wasn't afraid and rolled up his sleeves, creating a watery film on his palms. He joined Brock in moving the experimental subject onto a table, then used iron chains to restrain the man's limbs and neck.

"I'll handle the procedure, you're responsible for recording." Brock quickly assumed leadership and tossed the experimental logbook to Lynn. He then ordered Patti to fetch the magical elixir.

Lynn, who was still trying to figure out the experimental process, was happy to assist. He picked up the logbook and started flipping through it.

[

In the year 726 of the Magical Era, on June 21st.

Experiment Subject: Experiment 09.

Initial examination indicates kidney necrosis and gastric atrophy. Vital signs are weak. Strong reaction observed after consuming Fire Lizard elixir...

Experiment Subject: Experiment 011.

Defective Shapeshifter Troll elixir. Resilient vital signs. Right arm swelled and burst after injecting Griffin elixir...

Experiment Subject: Experiment 015

Uncontrollable (resulting in the death of four guards and two apprentice wizards)...

]

Lynn quickly flipped through the pages of the logbook. The records were shocking. Seventeen fusion experiments with shapeshifting elixirs had all failed.

There were generally three outcomes for the experimental subjects: sudden death due to violent rejection reactions, death during surgery due to weak vital signs, or gaining significantly enhanced power in a short period of time.

The last outcome often resulted in accidents, leading to casualties. That's why there were so many restraints and iron chains on the experimental table, designed to subdue the subjects.

Lynn realized that the subject before him was Experiment 18, created from the blood of a Poison Mist Serpent Naga, but due to errors in the fusion process, it had gone berserk, losing its sanity. Thus, it was deemed a failure and used as material for fusion experiments with shapeshifting elixirs.

In other words, this elixir aimed to grant humans powers similar to magical beasts.

"Timis, what are you daydreaming about?" Brock had already taken a dagger and put on an old alchemical monocle. Seeing Lynn still engrossed in the previous experiment records, Brock couldn't help but scold him.

Just at that moment, the experimental subject, bound by iron chains on its limbs and neck, suddenly opened its eyes. Its blood-red pupils exuded a strong murderous intent, and low, guttural growls emanated from its throat as it struggled to break free. However, the iron restraints and chains prevented it from escaping.

Brock swallowed hard, his wrist trembling slightly. After waiting for more than ten minutes, when the subject seemed exhausted from its struggles, he finally mustered the courage to disinfect a dagger with a candle and cut open the chest of Experiment 18.

At the same time, a golden bracelet on his left wrist began to emit a faint glow, and the wound, continuously bleeding, quickly coagulated.

"Heart's blood supply is normal, about 70% of the cells have been infected with magical energy. It's an improvement compared to before. The liver and kidneys are abnormal, showing significant swelling. Is there poison gas inside? Perhaps due to the influence of the Poison Mist Serpent Naga elixir..." Brock's face was filled with nervousness, but he still had some basic professionalism. He tried to ignore the continuous struggles of the experimental subject and observed its condition through the alchemical monocle.

Lynn also put on a special single-lens alchemical monocle, which resembled a microscope but had lower magnification, around 70 times. It allowed him to vaguely see the general structure of some cells.

After a brief adjustment, Lynn picked up a feather pen and began recording various organ data from Experiment 18's body.

The importance of documenting details was not lost on Lynn. He had already recorded everything with his AI. Writing a bit slower, he should be able to mimic around eighty to ninety percent of the process.

Once he confirmed that the subject was still relatively intact, Brock took a Troll elixir that Patti handed over. He forcefully grabbed the subject's head and poured about half of it down his throat.

In just half a minute after taking the elixir, the subject went into a frenzy. Its body expanded, straining the iron chains to their limits. It writhed and struggled, even causing the heavy experimental table to vibrate slightly. Its previous injuries began to heal rapidly.

Brock hesitated, not wanting to get closer, but he also couldn't miss this opportunity to collect data. He could only muster the courage to make an incision.

However, Experiment 18 did something that no one had anticipated. It forcibly tore off its right wrist, breaking free from some of the restraints.

Brock was taken aback, and before he could react, he was struck by the creature's forelimb, which was as thick as a thigh, and was sent flying.

Patti was in shock, letting out a scream.

Brock, enduring the pain, managed to stand up and was about to activate the alarm to summon the guards. However, before he could act, a sharp steel sword passed through the gap between the ulna and radius bones in the creature's forearm, pinning its right arm to the table.

Lynn calmly and methodically used iron chains to rebind Experiment 18. After struggling for a while, the subject's body rapidly shrank, and amid violent rejection reactions, it quickly fell silent.

Brock and Patti both heaved a sigh of relief.

It wasn't until Lynn confirmed that this defective specimen had already died that Brock dared to approach once more and complete the dissection work that he had failed to accomplish earlier. His back was drenched in cold sweat.

Similar to Nour, after the subject's death, the flesh inside its body shrivelled and lost its vitality. It felt like fragile foam that could crumble with a touch, and its various organs were rapidly deteriorating.

Lynn meticulously recorded all these observed details. Then, together with Brock and Patti, they placed the deceased subject back into the iron coffin.

Brock looked at the remaining iron coffins with a sense of unease. He turned to his two companions and said, "It's your turn now, Patti, and Timis."

The witch vigorously shook her head and didn't dare to get close.

"In that case, I'll do it." Lynn stepped forward on his own and opened the second coffin. He had watched for quite some time and remembered the process. He should be able to handle it without making mistakes.