Chapter 215: 029: Abnormal Laboratory

Lynch froze for a moment: “What?”

The wizard snapped impatiently: “Don’t talk so much nonsense. Just answer what you’re asked. Say ’yes’ or ’no’!”

The Blood-colored Battlefield had indeed brought Lynch some fame, but at the end of the day, that was only within the apprentice ranks. In the eyes of official-level wizards, it was nothing.

Lynch furrowed his brow slightly.

“Has something happened?”

At that moment, a clear and elegant voice sounded. Avery walked up from behind and stood next to Lynch.

The wizard paused in surprise, his eyes clearly widening.

Avery looked at him coldly, her tone neutral but distant as she asked, “Wizard Bruno, is there something you need?”

“Ah!”

Bruno snapped back to reality, stammering, “Miss Avery, you… why are you here?”

Avery responded bluntly, “I live here. What about it?”

This reminded Bruno of the recent rumors haunting the Shadow Land. They spoke of the Cavendish family’s esteemed young lady allegedly housing a lover on the side. Bruno had been curious about what kind of man would catch the eye of such an impeccable beauty… and now…

Unconsciously, he glanced twice at Lynch.

Straightening himself, Bruno’s attitude abruptly shifted: “Here’s the thing. There’s been an issue at Wizard Somda’s laboratory inside the Tower, which has caused significant disruptions. We’re investigating the matter.”

“During our investigation, we found that he officially has only one apprentice under him—namely, Mr. Lynch Valen. So, we’re here to ask Mr. Lynch for some information. You see…”

Lynch was taken aback and quickly asked, “My mentor? What’s happened to him?”

“Well…”

Bruno glanced at Avery, who said, “Explain the situation in detail. That way, we can help with the investigation.”

Bruno nodded: “Alright, let’s discuss this at the site.”

A while later, Shadow Tower, Somda Laboratory.

Standing in the corridor, Lynch stared at the scene in front of him in disbelief.

There lay the hallway he had walked countless times before. But now, it looked as though it had borne the brunt of countless years of decay. Everything had turned into ruins. The ceiling and the floors were eroded by time, cracked wide open with gaping holes. Even the walls were reduced to remnants and ruins.

And the laboratory itself.

Inside, the laboratory was nothing short of devastation. The tables, chairs, and all other equipment had been so severely weathered that their original forms were gone. The entire room no longer resembled a laboratory; it looked more like an Ancient Relic unearthed after countless years buried in the grind of time.

Lynch turned his gaze toward Somda’s usual quarters. But where there had once been a room, there was nothing now—entirely vanished, as though swallowed whole by some monstrous beast.

“What happened here?” Lynch asked, frowning.

Bruno answered, “We’re trying to figure that out too. The first to detect abnormalities was Kester Mage next door. The time was two in the morning two nights ago. An unusual energy wave suddenly erupted here—a powerful surge of Elemental Energy swept through the surrounding areas.”

“Kester Mage was the first to rush to the scene, but he was caught in the sweep of this energy. He’s currently being treated in the Healing Hospital, but I’m afraid his prospects are grim.”

Avery exclaimed in shock: “What! Are you saying Kester Mage was only grazed by this energy and yet…”

Official-level wizards possess extraordinary power. Even rudimentary Defensive Magic spells can easily withstand tremendous amounts of damage—not to mention that most wizards have survival spells at their disposal.

In general, it’s incredibly difficult to kill an official-level wizard outright, even in direct battle. And yet, now simply being caught in a residual wave has rendered someone like Kester Mage nearly incapacitated. To many, this was inconceivable.

Bruno nodded, his expression grave: “This energy is unlike anything we’ve ever encountered.”

As he spoke, he produced a small pouch, which he opened before Avery. Inside was a pile of grayish-white powder.

Avery asked in confusion, “What is this?”

Bruno explained: “At the time, Kester Mage was conducting experiments with a group of apprentices nearby. They too were caught in the wave of energy, and this is what remains of some of them.”

Avery and Lynch exchanged a shocked glance.

Bruno continued: “On the bodies of these apprentices, we couldn’t find any trace of combat or injury. It’s as if they died naturally—of old age. How can I describe this?”

“It’s like stepping into a time tunnel, where their Life Force was sapped away, aging them rapidly until they perished. And after an eternity passed, their entire bodies decayed into dust. When we found them, their remains crumbled into powder at the faintest touch.”

Bruno turned his gaze to Lynch: “So, Mr. Lynch, we wanted to ask you if you have any idea what’s going on here?”

Lynch furrowed his brow: “I’m sorry. I don’t think I can offer much help.”

Though he had spent considerable time with Somda, his mentor’s actual power remained a mystery. All Lynch knew was that Somda seemed to be conducting research related to time. As for why this event occurred, he couldn’t draw any conclusions.

Avery interjected: “You should know Somda Wizard isn’t much of a teacher. Lynch is nominally under his tutelage, but it’s really in name only. We can’t provide any useful assistance.”

Bruno nodded: “I’ve heard of Wizard Somda’s reputation.”

He hadn’t expected to discover much from Lynch anyway. Questioning him was mostly a procedural act. Now that Avery had spoken up on Lynch’s behalf, Bruno saw no reason to press further.

“Alright then, you two may leave for now. But please don’t leave the Shadow Land for the time being. If we need further information, we may come to question you again.”

Lynch nodded: “Understood.”

With that, he and Avery turned to leave. Before stepping out of the corridor, Lynch took one last look at the decayed space.

He recalled his last meeting with Wizard Somda not long ago. Somda had solemnly warned him not to visit the laboratory in the coming days. At the time, Lynch had felt puzzled. Now, it seemed clear the wizard had foreseen this catastrophe.

The kind of energy that could instantly annihilate an official-level wizard… he feared for his mentor’s safety…

Though their relationship had been rocky at first, eventually, Somda took Lynch’s training seriously. Lynch had learned much under his tutelage. He sincerely hoped the wizard was safe.

“I’ll return to the family and ask around for information.”

After leaving the Tower, Avery noticed Lynch was visibly troubled. Offering her help, she departed to investigate further, while Lynch returned alone to the manor.

Distracted and overwhelmed, Lynch couldn’t bring himself to focus on cultivation. He headed toward the study, preparing to look through the books Somda had once given him in hopes of uncovering any clues.

But the moment he sat at the desk, his body stiffened, and his eyes widened abruptly.

On the desk lay a pocket watch.

Carved into the desk below the watch was an inscription:

“Past, present, future.”

“We will inevitably cross paths at some point in time.”

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