Dimly lit basement.

Only the light near the test bench was exceptionally intense.

Professor Montreya wore a gray-white robe and silk gloves, meticulously dissecting a finger on the table. The finger was unusually large, almost as tall as an adult, with skin as delicate as a baby’s. The sharp nails had been pulled out completely and lay on a nearby shelf, but not a drop of blood flowed from the nail bed; instead, a crescent-shaped milky white slowly wriggled, as if a new nail would grow in the next second.

A silver knife followed the texture of the fingertip, slicing open the top layer of skin to reveal a layer of tough armor beneath. Beige fibers crisscrossed the armor like a large net. As the professor pressed the top of the fingertip, the force applied dispersed throughout every corner of the armor due to the web of fibers.

"Record this."

Without looking up, Professor Montreya used the knife to sever a few fibers on the armor, carefully observing the cut, speaking in a detached tone: "...a very traditional defense mechanism, borrowing subcutaneous structures from the Ancient Leather Giants and Ogres, possessing strong physical defense... also referencing high-level demons’ physical structures. The subcutaneous fibers absorb external force and feed it back on the armor, creating a semi-energetic defensive film that enhances its capability during combat... it can be observed that after the main body dies, its magic power doesn’t dissipate but is bound within the flesh by the armor and fiber network... the body maintains strong vitality due to the magic nurturing it, not deactivating after the host’s death..."

Wearing a Raven Mask, the assistant clutched the notepad tightly, quickly jotting down every word the professor said, a slender feather casting a violently trembling shadow beside the test bench.

Tap, tap, tap!

Urgent footsteps resounded from outside the lab.

The footsteps slowed as they neared the lab, eventually fading into silence. Before long, another figure wearing a Raven Mask and a black cloak rushed into the laboratory.

The assistant standing next to the professor glanced quickly, noticing the newcomer bore the number ’Nine’ on their mask, feeling quite surprised, recalling how these top ’Ravens’ rarely appeared before the professor as they were often on their respective tasks.

"What is it?"

Focused on peeling away the fibers from the subcutaneous armor, Professor Montreya didn’t raise his head and directly asked.

Crow No. 9 glanced at the other ’Ravens’ around the test bench and hesitated for a few seconds before lowering his voice to report quickly: "Team Three sent a message that the target has again left the school, destination consistent with last week... only this time it’s during the day... so, Three wants to confirm if we still proceed with the original plan."

A complete fiber network was clamped with long tweezers, being slowly torn from the subcutaneous armor. The professor placed it in a gasoline-like solution, then put down the tweezers, removed the silk gloves, and turned to receive a slim parchment roll from the newly arrived messenger.

Unfolding it, he quickly read through the letter with a frown, pondering in silence.

The ’Ravens’ around the test bench didn’t pause their experiment due to the professor stopping; they whispered to each other, analyzing the fiber network’s reaction in the Qi Yang Oil, and supplemented each other’s experimental records.

"Is today... Forbidden Magic Day?" the professor suddenly inquired.

"Yes."

More than one voice immediately answered him.

The professor nodded slightly, dipped the Feather Pen, and jabbed it into the massive fingertip on the test bench, drawing out a thread of blood. Using the magic within, he quickly sketched a talisman, affixed it to the parchment, rolled it up, and handed it to the messenger, instructing: "Tell Number Three to be ready with a backup plan, feel free to try something simple... stay safe."

Crow No. 9 nodded solemnly, put away the parchment roll, and discreetly left the laboratory.

...

...

Crow No. 3—Ganin, Zheng Qing’s former magical zoology teacher—sat by a window in a small attic, lazily glancing at the scenery on the street outside, with his arm resting on the windowsill, fingers lightly tapping the window frame.

Beneath the window, wizards in gray robes bustled back and forth. The festival atmosphere felt considerably richer than elsewhere in the town.

Although Gan Ning’s gaze was outside the window, most of his attention was focused on the entrance of Gu Diao Street at the end of the road, where their target had just gone.

For Zheng Qing, Gan Ning’s most vivid memory was not the public-funded student in class, nor the valuable target from the data provided by Professor Montreya, nor the young man who ate the Copper Bean at the celebration banquet. It was the warlock in the hallway, awkwardly asking him about post-transformation side effects.

Recollections of that scene always reminded him of his own first encounter with Professor Montreya.

Subsequently, despite Zheng Qing eating the Copper Bean without suffering any adverse effects—earning him more value in the professor’s dossier—Gan Ning’s impression of the young wizard faded significantly.

Around the start of the semester, the professor made several attempts to obtain the ’most valuable experimental subject’s’ biological information, but always without success. The recent attempt had Gan Ning delegate the task to the Seven Sins, a secret society whose effectiveness he had been well acquainted with as the former Sin Bearer. However, it was no fruit either.

The new Sin Bearer of the Seven Sins—a peculiar Black Cat—casually declared the task a failure, lacking the sense of honor he had instilled in the society, which irked him, leading him to occasionally doubt the society’s Flower Name List. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

A breeze blew past.

Smoothing out the chaotic thoughts of those watching from above.

The flag hanging outside the window flexed delicately, revealing the "Yang-Paineir" insignia.

Thud thud.

Rhythmic knocking came from outside.

"Come in."

Gan Ning answered cheerfully.

A shrouded figure entered, frowning upon seeing the warlock sitting by the window: "You’re wanted by the Alliance and the school, be careful."

He removed his hood, revealing an unremarkable face.

"Do you know why the Forbidden Magic Day in the North District is livelier than other areas in Beta Town?" Gan Ning ignored his companion’s caution and queried instead.

"Is it? I haven’t noticed. No idea."

The new entrant curtly dismissed Gan Ning’s idle chatter and retrieved a parchment roll from his sleeve, handing it over: "The professor agreed to proceed per plan but advised you to prepare for withdrawal, particularly emphasizing safety... a simple attempt will suffice."

He slightly rearranged Professor Montreya’s response sequence.