novelraw Chapter 204: The "Instruction Manual" for the Curse
Chapter 204: The "Instruction Manual" for the Curse
Half an hour later.
Inside a temporary research room specifically used for storing precious documents.
Professor Petrie's state was like a hyena that had starved for three days. He threw himself onto the massive worktable, and under the light of a kerosene lamp, greedily studied the perfect imprint pattern freshly copied from the back of Lin Jie's hand.
Ethan and Julian stood opposite Professor Petrie, their expressions grave.
"Monsieur Professor."
Julian was the one who finally broke the silence, pushing up his gold-rimmed glasses.
"Regarding that brand on Lin Jie, is there really no possibility of removing it?"
"Remove?"
Professor Petrie did not look up. His eyes remained glued to the pattern as he let out a disdainful snort from his nostrils.
"Child, your choice of words was wrong from the very beginning."Professor Petrie gently stroked the contours of the perfect "Vulture Wings" on the pattern with a fingertip stained with ink and copying clay. The motion was as tender as caressing a lover's skin.
Drawing on his profound knowledge of UMA ecology, Petrie began to explain in detail to these two amateurs in his eyes the true ecology and function of the Upper Egyptian White Vulture.
"You all love to use cheap words laden with human subjective emotions and religious overtones—like curse, divine descent, and protection—to define existences far more ancient and far more pure than yourselves."
A "mad" scientific light flickered in Professor Petrie's eyes.
"But nature has never had good or evil. It only has laws and survival."
"The goddess Nekhbet you speak of, or the Upper Egyptian White Vulture, plays the role of an absolute monarch at the very apex of the food chain in the ecosystem of this ancient land!"
"And a monarch's core function is not combat, nor judgment. It is patrol and marking!"
"It patrols its territory, which is the entire Upper Egypt region. It eliminates all invaders who dare challenge its royal authority!"
"As a true bird of prey, it uses its sharp beak and talons to tear to shreds any of its own kind or other species that attempt to steal its food!"
"And what it marks are the highest-quality assets within the territory it acknowledges!"
At this point, Professor Petrie slowly raised a finger and pointed at the copied imprint pattern.
"That is why I said this is not a purely malicious curse."
"It is more like a 'symbiotic contract' and a 'declaration of sovereignty'!"
In a manner both cold and consistent with natural laws, this naturalist performed a cold conceptual translation of the "Sacred Mark" that had troubled everyone for two days.
He likened this mysterious brand to a living coordinate with severe "obsessive cleanliness" and "territorial awareness."
"According to the earliest biological observation records unearthed from the Old Kingdom period, specifically the records on the Book of the Dead papyrus fragments."
As if immersed in his own academic world, Petrie quoted extensively and spoke incessantly. "The mark of the Upper Egyptian White Vulture possesses an 'ecological niche exclusivity' that tolerates no contamination by impurities!"
"In other words, any host branded with its 'Royal Mark' will be regarded as its sacred and inviolable, sole 'mobile nest'!"
"It will instinctively and actively repel, expel, or even destroy any other aggressive high-level UMA spirituality that dares approach its 'nest'!"
"This explains," Professor Petrie's gaze swept over Ethan, whose face was ashen, "why the mark actively resisted the spiritual erosion from that [Tear of Apophis] at the time!"
"Because, in the eyes of that white vulture, the aura of a predator of the same level emitted by the [Tear of Apophis] was the greatest provocation against its sacred territory, which represents order and royal authority!"
"It was already quite polite of it not to completely purge the serpent's aura coveting its 'nest'!"
This subversive explanation, approached from the perspective of "UMA ecology," plunged both Julian and Ethan into a long silence.
So that's how it was...
"But, Monsieur Professor," Julian, having digested this vast amount of information, raised a new and crucial question. "If this brand originates from the Upper Egyptian White Vulture, then where is its true body now?"
This question finally pulled Professor Petrie's attention away from the copied pattern, if only temporarily.
He removed his round-framed glasses and carefully wiped the dust from the lenses with a rough piece of hemp cloth whose original color was indiscernible.
"Where? Heh, you've asked a question our I.A.R.C. has been pursuing for nearly several centuries."
Professor Petrie's voice grew low, betraying a sense of remembrance and awe for things lost.
"According to the Association's observation records, the last confirmed sighting of the Upper Egyptian White Vulture—that Sky King once perched atop the food chain of the North African continent—dates back to the era when the Roman Empire conquered and destroyed the Ptolemaic-era dynasty."
"For a full eighteen hundred years since then, it has vanished from this world."
"No one knows where it went. Did it go extinct like those prehistoric behemoths hunted to extinction by humans? Or did it leave this barren world..."
Professor Petrie's eyes grew complex, flickering with uncertain light.
"As for that necklace you discovered in that quiet chamber."
Professor Petrie curled his lip disdainfully, his expression like that of someone evaluating a clumsy imitation.
"I suspect it is merely an ornament forged thousands of years ago by some foolish pharaoh using the vulture's remnants, in a forced attempt to replicate and perpetuate its divine might."
"In that respect, it rather resembles that 'Arms' thing of yours."
These words left Julian momentarily speechless with shock, wanting to speak but holding back.
"Children, you must understand the most basic logic of history."
Professor Petrie's voice grew distant.
"How do you think myths were born?"
"Were they conjured from thin air? No."
"The essence of myth is the clumsy yet great 'attempt at explanation' made by early human civilizations, using their impoverished imaginations and primitive language, when faced with creatures they could not comprehend, creatures possessing immense power!"
"This is the realm where archaeologists of the Surface World, and you explorers of the inner world from I.A.R.C., are destined to converge!"
Petrie extended a finger, pointing at the death god Anubis on the mural—the one with the jackal head holding a scale, judging the hearts of the dead.
"Look. The ancient Egyptians could not understand why corpses decayed, nor could they understand where consciousness went after death."
"But they witnessed creatures resembling jackals, which frequented the surroundings of graves year-round and could slow corpse decay through unknown power."
"Thus, they deified this creature."
"They projected their awe and imagination regarding death onto this creature!"
"They named it 'Anubis,' endowing it with the functions of 'Guide of the Dead' and 'God of Embalming,' and recorded it in that great Book of the Dead."
"Now look at this."
Petrie pointed to another side of the mural, at the wisdom god Thoth—the one with the ibis head, holding a papyrus scroll and pen, recording the judgment results.
"They could not understand how knowledge was transmitted, nor the essence of writing and logic."
"But they witnessed another creature resembling an ibis, which could record and replay information through special sound waves or mental perception."
"Thus, they revered this UMA as the embodiment of wisdom and writing!"
"And connected it to the movements of celestial bodies, the passage of time, and even the truths of the entire universe!"
"So do you understand now, child?"
Professor Petrie turned around.
"The so-called ancient Egyptian pantheon is, in essence, a prehistoric UMA ecosystem that truly existed upon this land—rich in species and full of mystery!"
"And mythology is merely the clumsy layer of personified and ethicalized mythological clothing that the ancient Egyptians, using their own worldview, draped over this ecosystem they could not comprehend."
This series of explanations did not make anyone feel relieved. Instead, it cast a heavy and eerie shadow over their hearts.
Julian's logical mind quickly pinpointed the key paradox from the immense impact of information.
"Monsieur Professor, if according to your theory, this brand is a form of indirect 'protection,' then surely it must have a 'duration' for this 'protection,' correct?"
"Or rather, when its 'protected object' is completely out of danger, shouldn't it disappear on its own?"
However, Professor Petrie's next words plunged them all into an abyss of despair deeper than when they had faced the Subterranean Giant Eel.
"Disappear? No, no, no, child. You still fail to understand the cruel essence of the word 'symbiosis.'"
Professor Petrie slowly shook his head.
"Do you think this top predator's 'protection' comes for free?"
"Since the residual spirituality of that white vulture saved the nest it selected, naturally, it will next begin to 'renovate' its 'new home.'"
"And the fee is the young man himself!"
"Based on our research reports on other similar 'parasitic-type' UMA, mortals branded with such a 'symbiotic mark' by a high-level UMA will have their bodies and souls assimilated by the spiritual power of the alien creature in a slow and irreversible manner!"
At this moment, this biological horror theory of assimilation pronounced a death sentence on Lin Jie's future.
When that time comes, would he still be "human"?
Wouldn't that mean Lin Jie's self-awareness, thoughts, and soul would eventually be gradually displaced and overwritten by that domineering top predator in order to create a comfortable "home," ultimately turning him into a walking corpse carrying only biological instincts and the UMA's will?!
"This cannot be allowed!!"
The collapse and self-blame within Ethan could no longer be contained.
He lunged forward, grabbing Professor Petrie by the collar, his eyes bloodshot as he snarled, "There must... there must be a way! Right?! There must be a way to expel this damn parasite! Tell me what to do?! Whatever the cost! Whatever sample is needed! We will..."
"Expel?"
However, faced with Ethan's broken questioning, a strange look of confusion appeared on Professor Petrie's face, as if he were looking at an idiot.
He pried Ethan's fingers off one by one, then carefully dusted the ash from his own collar.
Then he shrugged, answering in a tone that suggested it was a matter of course.
"Expel? Why expel it?"
"We should understand it, analyze it, research it, and utilize it!"
With that, he paid no further heed to Ethan and Julian, turning back to immerse himself once more in the study of the brand.