Chapter 352 - 318: The Process of Recovering Knowledge (Part 2)

Chapter 352: Chapter 318: The Process of Recovering Knowledge (Part 2)

He then placed the parchment, covered in all sorts of text, into the metal box. After soaking it in the solution within, he carefully sealed the lid and tucked the box away safely against his body.

And with that, one page of Forbidden Knowledge was recovered.

"COUGH COUGH... COUGH COUGH COUGH..."

Instructor Randy coughed violently for another moment, then quickly chugged several large mouthfuls of alcohol before the color gradually returned to his face.

After recovering for over ten minutes, he switched places with Instructor Lille. He would now be responsible for controlling the Orbit, while Instructor Lille would guide the student in absorbing the Forbidden Knowledge.

At this point, Lloyd finally understood the entire process.

First, a student would endure the Spiritual Contamination brought on by the Forbidden Knowledge. Then, an instructor would use the power of Wisdom to help shoulder the burden, conveniently transferring that Forbidden Knowledge onto themselves in the process.

Simultaneously, they would use the power of Veto to render the student unconscious, while they recorded the Forbidden Knowledge onto a parchment like before and sealed it with a special solution.

No wonder both instructors used the Veto and Wisdom system combination.

Afterward, the two instructors would rotate. The second student would take their turn, while the previous instructor and student seized the opportunity for a short rest.

’It seems they’ll just repeat this cycle over and over until everyone’s mental state collapses or the operation is over.’

’They’re really putting everything on the line...’

Lloyd felt a mix of admiration and heartache.

’I really never imagined that the so-called recovery and filtering of Forbidden Knowledge would be done using people as filters...’

’This is practically a suicide mission. Only the Mizkatoke Asylum would dare pull something like this.’

’But it’s precisely this courage and fearlessness that allows them to accomplish what even Saints cannot.’

’Saints can resist the corruption of Forbidden Knowledge, preventing ordinary people from ever coming into contact with it.’

’But they have no way of recovering the knowledge into stable pages like this, to be taken back for further research.’

’The History Department at Mizkatoke is truly incredible!’

Lloyd sighed with sincere admiration.

Just then, Instructor Lille, now ready, called out in a clear voice:

"Who’s next?"

The remaining students were all intimidated and didn’t dare look up.

They probably hadn’t expected that their main task on this trip was to serve as ’human filters.’

’The student handbook never mentioned this, did it? It was supposed to be easy, safe, and fun, with lots of credits and a high rating, right?’

’What part of this is easy, safe, or fun?’

These students didn’t have an ability like Lloyd’s Probe, so they were unaware that the history student on the ground was actually fine, just unconscious.

But they didn’t know any of this. They could only grumble to themselves, the wretched state of the previous history student still vivid in their minds. ’His fate is uncertain... he’s probably gone completely mad, right?’

’Who would be willing to experience that same pain and danger?’

’If I’d known, I never would have come just for some credits and a high rating...’

The few outlaws who used the Taboo System wished they could bury their heads in their chests.

’Our Rationality isn’t that high,’ they thought. ’If we go up there, we’ll probably go insane on the spot...’

Only when someone suddenly stood up to play the hero did they dare to raise their heads for a glance.

"If no one else is going, how about I give it a try?"

Lloyd asked, testing the waters.

Instructor Lille stared blankly for a moment, then asked with a wry, exasperated expression:

"Are you trying to liven up the mood with a joke because it’s gotten too heavy? I’m sorry, but I don’t really feel like laughing..."

Even the student who had provoked Lloyd earlier quickly stood up to dissuade him.

"You... you can’t do it! If something happens to you, none of us will make it back! We’ll be trapped here to die in this godforsaken place!"

"Hm, you make a good point. In that case, you should go."

Lloyd said, following his line of reasoning, and promptly sat back down.

"Uh..."

The student froze on the spot. After a long, awkward moment, he snatched the bottle of alcohol from the ground and took a huge swig.

"Fine, I’ll go! Let me show you, Mr. Star Student, that even we who’ve lost our way have some backbone!"

With that, he walked resolutely to the edge of the barrier. He took several deep breaths, then turned his head to signal to Instructor Lille that he was ready.

This turn of events was somewhat unexpected for Lloyd. Although the student had been goaded into it, he hadn’t completely chickened out. He really was biting the bullet and going through with it.

This improved Lloyd’s opinion of him slightly.

At the same time, he made a silent promise:

’For the little bit of backbone you’ve just shown, I won’t let anything happen to you.’

As he thought this, he stealthily retracted the wisp of his Consciousness Tentacles that he had sent out earlier, completely unnoticed.

This tentacle had been attached to the forehead of the first history student. Through this strand of Dazed Hair, Lloyd had already managed to completely stabilize the student’s mental state.

’The only reason he hasn’t woken up yet is probably because Instructor Randy was a little too heavy-handed...’

’Still, the Spiritual Contamination I absorbed from him was only a little over 10,000 points, which corresponds to his Rationality score of just over 100.’

’But since this is Forbidden Knowledge affected by Miracle Magic, the Spiritual Contamination it inflicts should be much higher than that.’

’This means Instructor Randy was the one who shouldered the majority of the Spiritual Contamination...’

’So, the History Department’s procedure seems extreme, but they aren’t actually sending people to their deaths. It’s just incredibly painful and agonizing, pushing one’s mental state to its absolute limit.’

’Even if I weren’t here, the student’s mental state would have only deteriorated to Moderate Madness. He’d end up in an asylum, but at least his life would be saved.’

’What I regret, though, is that my tentacle only absorbed Madness Value. It didn’t manage to siphon off any skill fragments or Knowledge Fragments.’

’I didn’t get even a sliver of that last page of Forbidden Knowledge...’

’I don’t know if it’s because the tentacle is too thin for the fragments to pass through, or if Instructor Randy struck too hard...’

’Or maybe the instructor ’extracted’ the knowledge first?’

As Lloyd speculated, he allocated the upgrade points he’d gained from the 10,000 Madness Value. He put 5 points into Spiritual Power, raising it to 300.

He did a quick calculation. ’If they keep this up, with one recovery round every twenty-odd minutes, I can gain a level each time. The efficiency isn’t half bad, is it?’

’Perfect. I’ve already adapted to the ambient Spiritual Contamination. Now I only get the occasional "+1" notification, just to remind me the air here is still contaminated!’

’If only I could help the two Mentors shoulder some of this burden...’

Lloyd continued to ponder.

’But their power level is at least Tier Five. They’d definitely notice if I tried to attach a ’Dazed Hair’ to them. It would probably cause an unnecessary misunderstanding.’

’And if I tried direct physical contact... two grown men grappling with each other would cause an even more troublesome misunderstanding...’

’Hmm... Maybe I can come up with a good excuse. Say I have some special equipment, like a unique Holy Artifact, so they’ll let me attach a ’Dazed Hair’ to them without suspicion?’

’I need to think carefully about how to phrase that...’

Lloyd was still mulling this over, but before he could come up with a good excuse, the second round of recovery was already over.

The student who used the Taboo System passed out, and Lloyd secretly attached a tentacle to his forehead.

Instructor Lille, just like Instructor Randy before him, endured the agony and sealed another page of knowledge. He then took several large gulps of alcohol, let out a long breath, and said:

"Haaaah... This knowledge is truly something else. I could even feel the resonance of a Miracle within it."

Hearing this, Lloyd grew even more anxious and hastily blurted out his still-unrefined excuse:

"Instructors, I think I can help you..."

But he had barely gotten the words out before Instructor Lille interrupted him with a laugh.

"Great. Grab me another bottle of alcohol."