CHAPTER 1804: CHAPTER 25: MANMAN

Mount Chongwu, there is a bird, its shape like a duck, but with one wing and one eye, named Manman. Its feathers are both blue and red, and the two birds fly together as one, hence also called Biyu①.

Even at Buji Island First University, Manman is a very rare magical creature, and it is loved by witches. Therefore, it is understandable that two warlocks made trouble and then ran away swiftly.

However, they did not know that their every move was being watched closely through a slightly opened window on the top floor of a nearby office building.

"Use the axe to cut down the tree, look at it in disdain, yet still think it’s far away②."

The Elder Wizard muttered softly, withdrawing his gaze, turning around, and walked slowly toward the desk by the window, holding onto a silver wolf head cane. The wide black robe draped over his small frame rose and fell like a tide, creating gentle breezes that filled the office with ghostly wailing like laments.

This was a vast office, with a distance of several hundred meters from the desk to the heavy wooden door at the end. On the walls on either side of the entrance, two ancient Gublai fairy fires were lit, their bluish-white flames casting a cold and empty atmosphere in the room.

On both side walls at the same height, at intervals of several meters, magic torches were placed, beneath which stood statues of magical creatures, ranging from the gargoyle at the entrance to the vampires, werewolves, horse-men, minotaurs, fishmen, foxmen, zombies, extending all the way to the steps in front of the desk. On either side of the steps crouched a Sphinx, also a stone sculpture, one tilting its head to the left, the other to the right, as if constantly scrutinizing any guest standing beneath the steps.

Usually, when no one is around, these statues might gather to play card games; but if the Elder Wizard is in the office, they always behave very obediently, not glancing sideways, resembling real statues more than statues themselves.

When the Elder Wizard sat back in the large leather chair behind the desk, the gargoyle timely pushed open the tightly closed door, revealing a tall, slender figure of a visitor waiting outside.

Tap, tap, tap, tap.

The deep footsteps echoed in the spacious office, neither hurried nor slow, appearing very orderly. Under the Gublai fairy fire, shadows of varying shades were drawn on the ground from the visitor, like ropes binding him.

"Professor Montreya."

The Elder Wizard greeted hoarsely from behind the desk: "Good morning."

"Good day, Mr. Ruo Yu." The visitor removed his pointed wizard hat, revealing messy gray hair and prominent cheekbones. He placed the hat against his chest, bowed slightly in respect, and greeted as well:

"May Merlin bless you."

"If you persist with your plan, Merlin will not only fail to bless me but will curse me." The vice president of the First University sighed softly: "By then, not even the school can protect you... Do you mind if I smoke?"

"No, sir." Professor Montreya answered stiffly.

The Elder Wizard picked up a pipe from the desk and put it to his mouth, and though no tobacco or flame was seen applied, scarlet embers glowed from within the bowl as he took a deep drag and exhaled heavily.

The bluish-white smoke gathered and hung above the desk like a vast ocean, with Elder Ruoyu’s face obscured within, faintly visible, as though adrift in a sea like a great beast.

Professor Montreya quietly watched the Elder Wizard smoke without speaking a word, not even casually inquiring when the vice president had picked up the habit.

Communication between these two rigid individuals was truly dull.

After a prolonged silence, finally, the office’s master broke the quiet.

"Your project... cough, cough." He removed the pipe from his mouth, coughed, and pondered as if still considering how to phrase his following words.

"Progressing very smoothly."

Professor Montreya seemed not to notice the haze on Mr. Ruo Yu’s face, methodically replying: "As long as this semester’s project funds are disbursed on time, the laboratory will soon produce results applicable to the entire wizard world..."

"That is exactly what I was about to say."

Finally, Elder Ruoyu stopped being vague, interrupting the professor with a dry voice: "According to the directions from the Great Wizard Conference, the school’s Professor Joint Meeting has already decided to halt all experiments related to ’purifying demon bloodlines’... including your laboratory."

A rare flush of anger appeared as a layer of red on Professor Montreya’s prominent cheekbones.

But soon, the flush faded, and he calmed back down.

"The experiment is at its final step; shutting down the laboratory now is a tremendous waste of project funds and irresponsible towards the school." The professor protested in a low voice.

"This is a force majeure; your work will not be affected in any way." Elder Ruoyu immediately reassured: "Before the school term begins, as long as you propose any project in a different direction, the school will support it unconditionally."

"I’m not after money! Or fame! Or anything else!"

Professor Montreya raised his voice somewhat, pacing back and forth irritably, gesturing excitedly: "This project can greatly enhance the abilities of ordinary wizards in the wizard world... from physical fitness to magic power intensity... demons will no longer be our threat! They will become a valuable resource! Just like when mages initially discovered the effects of dragon skin and dragon blood, and those fearsome beasts became livestock raised in wizard cages! It will herald a new great era’s horn!"

"This era needs no new horn blast." Elder Ruoyu blew away the smoke floating before him, looking at the agitated professor below the steps with a warning gaze.

Professor Montreya immediately corrected himself: "No, what I mean to say is that this research result can strongly support the development of Dimensionism, and in fact, our research is also based on the theory of Dimensionism..."

Seeing him getting carried away, seemingly about to narrate his experimental project from beginning to end, the office’s host had to raise a hand to interrupt:

"You know that’s not what I meant."

The professor finally fell silent.

After a moment of silence, he raised his head, still attempting to struggle: "Is there really no other way... If the rumors are true, by September, Lady Shi Hui should have already become the president of the Great Wizard Conference; can’t she mediate a bit, delay the Great Wizard Conference’s opinion?"

"This decision has nothing to do with the Great Wizard Conference’s opinion."

Elder Ruoyu finally decided to divulge a bit more information to this earnest professor before him, pondering over his words, slowly explaining: "If you paid more attention to news beyond the laboratory, you should know that after the Black Prison battle, the Sea Demon King has ascended to an Ancient One... Although it’s uncertain if Its attitude toward demons will change... but to be cautious, it’s not prudent to create greater divergence and rifts between the parties now."