Abyss Sequence-Chapter 469 - 44: Back to Square One

"...Ugh, ugh!"

Lutz, under Yan Luo’s control, let out a suppressed sob.

His ugliest desires were exposed to others, and he felt utterly humiliated.

In the room stood a lifelike mannequin, tall and voluptuous, with a face intensely beautiful, resembling Yevgenia by ninety-eight percent. The only difference might have been a beauty mark at the corner of its mouth, perhaps a reflection of Lutz’s own proclivities.

The gentle smile on the mannequin’s face conveyed a full sense of motherhood.

The moment Yan Luo saw the mannequin, he released Lutz.

At this point, Lutz didn’t struggle but lay on the ground crying uncontrollably.

Seeing the mannequin standing in the room, Lykan fell silent, followed by a surge of anger.

He grabbed Lutz from the floor and started punching him.

"How dare you?!"

Even though Lykan and Yevgenia had already separated, seeing another elf create a mannequin in Yevgenia’s likeness made him unbelievably furious.

Lutz was beaten back two steps, crashing against the wall.

The wall seemed to give him the strength to straighten his back, and Lutz raised his head in anger, shouting back, "You and Yevgenia have already split up; she’s not your wife!"

"Even if she’s not my wife, do you think using her image to make a mannequin is something you can justify?!" Lykan’s neck veins bulged in rage, and his fists clenched tightly.

Lutz’s aura quickly diminished.

Pursuing openly is one thing, but crafting a doll in the image of a beloved woman and having it call you "master" is something else entirely.

Yan Luo ignored the quarrel between Lykan and Lutz, lost in thought while staring at the smiling mannequin in the room.

He suddenly thought of something—

Not just any elf reporting to Fuer about Lykan Hongfeng’s study of demonic knowledge would be taken seriously by Fuer. After all, Fuer is a Saint; he doesn’t have time to deal with trivial matters.

If an elf Fuer doesn’t trust reports it, he might ignore it.

Therefore, the informer must be an elf who has Fuer’s trust.

In the academy, is there any elf that Fuer trusts?

Moreover, there’s a premise that Fuer himself isn’t sure if Lykan has accessed demonic knowledge; that’s why he didn’t provide evidence when commissioning the investigation.

Trusted by Fuer yet causing him confusion...

This matter certainly seemed odd.

Thinking this, Yan Luo snapped out of his reverie, walked into the room, and reached out to touch the mannequin’s skin, pinching its cheek.

Seeing this, Lutz, who was facing the door, abandoned his argument with Lykan and yelled at Yan Luo furiously, "What are you doing?!"

Lykan also turned around and saw Yan Luo’s actions, looking shocked.

"I’m examining the mannequin," Yan Luo replied calmly, withdrawing his hand and looking at Lutz. "Luckily, this mannequin isn’t made from elf corpses."

Lutz’s face turned red, and his fists clenched tightly. "Why would I ever...do something like that!"

Though Lutz harbored dark thoughts and made a doll in admiration of an elf, he still possessed some sense of morality in other aspects, refusing to use elf corpses for doll-making.

Lykan sneered, "You’ve already secretly made such a mannequin. Who knows if you’d do something worse?"

"I, I..."

Lutz’s lips trembled, unable to utter a word in defense.

Yan Luo stepped out of the room and said to Lykan, "Let’s go, the investigation here is done."

When he first mentioned he would investigate Lykan, Lutz’s facial expression wasn’t out of fear but rather delight.

Even though Yevgenia had divorced Lykan, it seemed they still had a good relationship, with the potential to rekindle their romance. If Lutz really wanted to pursue Yevgenia, Lykan would be an obstacle.

Lutz was merely somewhat shady-minded—normal enough on Blue Star, perhaps mildly perverse—with serious moral issues by Alfheim’s high standards.

Thus, there was no need for further investigating Lutz, and he could be temporarily cleared of suspicion.

Before uncovering the truth, Yan Luo wouldn’t eliminate anyone from suspicion, but would first investigate the more suspicious targets.

Maybe everything Lutz did was just an act, intended to clear his own suspicion by fooling him.

Going downstairs, Yan Luo used his terminal to send Yevgenia a message, asking how many elves at the academy could be trusted by Fuer.

Though Yevgenia didn’t know Fuer, she had been part of the academy’s upper echelons and might have insights.

If she couldn’t provide answers, Yan Luo could seek other informed elves for help.

Yevgenia indeed provided an answer: [The president of the Academic Committee is Fuer the Saint’s student. Wise Master living at 61 Sage Street is Fuer’s friend...and Lykan himself is Fuer’s only descendant, still in contact—I only know these.]

Hmm?

Yan Luo’s pace didn’t falter as he discreetly typed: [Lykan is Fuer the Saint’s only descendant?]

[Yes, didn’t Fuer tell you?]

Fuer likely didn’t explain due to concerns his investigation might be hindered.

Yan Luo glanced back at Lykan, causing some confusion.

After regaining focus, Yan Luo astonishingly realized that among the three elves, Lykan himself was most likely to have reported his own study of demonic knowledge to Fuer.

He was unaware of the relationship between the committee’s old president, Wise Master, and Lykan; considering current knowledge, Lykan was the prime suspect for reporting to Fuer.

Reporting oneself to one’s ancestor, with Fuer left perplexed?

If that were the case...

Yan Luo quietly continued on his way.

After walking a while, familiar street views prompted Lykan to ask, "Sir, where are we heading next?"

"To your home," Yan Luo replied indifferently.

Yan Luo felt a thorough investigation of Lykan was necessary.

Earlier investigations were too superficial, failing to fully understand the elf in question.

By now, Yan Luo remembered the route from Lutz Qingbai’s house, allowing him to return to the starting point of his inquiry without guidance from Lykan.

Yan Luo stepped aside, letting Lykan unlock the door before entering.

Once inside, Yan Luo began a meticulous investigation.

As his fingers brushed various objects on the ground floor, Yan Luo asked Lykan, "Was the explosion accident severe a few days ago?"

"Not severe, merely an alchemical cauldron explosion," Lykan answered. "Since such accidents are common, we long invented magic to suppress explosion force; thus, the explosion only damaged some objects, the worst loss being the cauldron itself."

Yan Luo rubbed his fingers, eyes scanning other items in the hall, then asked, "May I look upstairs?"

Lykan nodded, gesturing ’please.’

Stepping upstairs, Yan Luo found Lykan’s research-cum-residence lacked partitions on its second floor, contrasting with Lutz Qingbai’s clutter below, presenting a tidier room here—clothing strewn about was absent.

Then, Yevgenia, following Yan Luo’s instructions, identified elves connected with Lykan and frequented the academy.

Stunned, she discovered these elves had visited cities like Gass and Mayin, struck by parasite incidents.

They’d traveled via teleportation, naturally leaving records.

The stated purpose: collecting materials for magic experiments, the most common field trip explanation among academy scholars.

Having discerned this, Yevgenia quickly sent Yan Luo the investigation results, despite her remaining fears.

If the parasite incident involved Lykan...could it be Fuer the Saint found something, leading him to task Yan Luo, the outsider, with investigating?