The Bizarre Detective Agency

Chapter 948: Above the Surface

Despite Professor Haig's futile protests, Lu Li followed Professor Kris, left the crown level, and took an elevator down through the tree tunnel of the mixed zone toward the lower levels.

Inside the dark tree tunnel that plunged deep into the earth, the human figures were dwarfed by their surroundings, as insignificant as ants—Professor Kris was only slightly larger.

Other elevators, illuminated by fluorite lamps, ascended and descended around them, and the sound of whirring winches echoed through the dim shaft.

Passing the levels for the middle and senior courses, their elevator did not stop, continuing its descent.

"He isn't in the Academy of Giant Trees?"

Lu Li gazed at the glowing edge of the tree tunnel below, which he assumed was the surface.

"As a heresiologist, that man isn't permitted to enter the academy," Professor Kris said, crossing her arms beside him.

In the darkness, her skin looked even paler, as if shrouded in a faint light.

He was only granted the title of professor due to his status in the Ancient Era—

After several minutes, the gently swaying elevator docked at the bottom platform. The exit of the tree tunnel was bathed in bright light.But this was not the true ground level; beneath the wooden planks underfoot, the space opened up into the dark, lightless subterranean root zone.

That was where the lower levels of the academy and various forbidden zones were located.

Students bustling about the surface platform consciously avoided Professor Kris. It was not just out of respect for her position, but also out of awe for her power. The glances that fell on Lu Li, however, were far more ambiguous. While not malicious, they certainly weren't friendly.

"This is why we separate the junior, middle, and senior courses. What is light, what is darkness. When you gaze long into an abyss... you might just become part of it."

Humans are highly adaptable, all creatures are—because those who failed to adapt perished long ago.

And this also gave rise to a terrifying thought: were the anomalies from the abyss, from the darkness, from the fog, from the In-Between, once just like humans?

Had they simply lost their nature, their civilization, and their history over long periods of time and through contact with the unknown?

The Academy of Giant Trees had to prevent that.

The tiny figures walked along the tree tunnel, their path ahead blocked by gatekeepers.

"Vice Dean Kris... and our exorcist gentleman," the lead gatekeeper guarding the tunnel turned his single eye, observing Professor Kris and Lu Li.

"Where are you headed?"

"The Rod District, to see a friend," Professor Kris stated haughtily; she clearly disliked the Night Watchmen.

"Where are your masks?" the head gatekeeper asked.

Professor Kris pulled two vials of potion from her handbag and handed one to Lu Li.

"Drink up," she instructed before tilting her head back and downing her own.

"Safe zone. You may remain until nightfall," the head gatekeeper said after a brief pause, gesturing for his subordinates to clear the way.

Professor Kris gave a disdainful nod and walked out of the tree tunnel with Lu Li, finally reaching the surface.

After the primordial darkness had enveloped the world, Lu Li saw it once again.

Black lines, finer than snowflakes, more chaotic than swarming insects, were cut off at the edge of the world. Writhing just beyond, they were barely visible in the gloomy afternoon. Unlike ordinary darkness, they seemed to be living things, constantly corroding everything they occupied, which was why people also called it "living darkness."

"I don't like them... they're too obsessed with rules," Professor Kris's complaint about the Night Watchmen whispered in his ear.

"I fought with them many times before I became Vice Dean. You'd better pray you don't get caught during your time at the Academy of Giant Trees. And if you are, don't even think about resisting, or you'll have endless trouble on your hands."

The sweet, almond-flavored potion he had drunk began to take effect. The writhing black lines were blocked from entering his mouth and nose. The figures around them, however, didn't have such a luxury; all of them wore raven masks or sealed masks, their dark visages turning to follow Lu Li and Professor Kris, making it impossible to discern their expressions.

But Lu Li could smell the scent of blood on some of them.

"Once you reach the middle courses, you'll be able to take on missions."

Lu Li's attention was drawn to the buildings beyond the black fog.

In those seemingly dilapidated, faded buildings, lights glowed in some of the windows. Though there weren't many, the occasional silhouettes cast upon the curtains indicated that people still lived on the surface.

Professor Kris gave Lu Li his answer: this was the colonial zone.

Meaning, territory that they had already occupied.

The occasional figures and patrolling soldiers on the streets were proof of that.

However, the meaning of "colony" was broader: many believed the surface no longer belonged to them, and that in time, they would evolve into subterranean cave dwellers.

And that was the truth. The colonial zone only existed in a circle at the foot of the Academy of Giant Trees; beyond it was the safe zone. This was territory that had been cleared but could not be garrisoned, and even further out was the clearance zone.

The safe zone and the clearance zone were also called buffer zones—areas that prevented the colonial zone from being directly exposed to the darkness, and also the furthest distance the Academy of Giant Trees could project its influence.

The Rod District was in the safe zone; its streets were quiet, far from the lights and clamor.

"Sterling's House"

Professor Kris walked up the steps of a house with a wooden sign and pushed open the ajar door.

Creak—

Entering the quiet house, the light from an oil lamp illuminated ancient markings and other graffiti-like symbols on the walls.

Professor Kris led him to a door leading to the basement and, ducking her head, entered the passage.

After descending a dozen or so steps, a rough cave stretched out before them, with fluorescent blocks scattered and embedded in the rock walls. Nearby grew suspicious-looking, bare brains.

"Monkey Brain Mushroom. It only grows in dirty, damp places illuminated by fluorite light."

Professor Kris explained.

"It looks like something that would lower your Mind Level, but the Brain Wisdom Soup, which uses it as the main ingredient, is an excellent potion for nourishing one's Mind Level."

"It restores it?"

"No, but it can slow the rate of decline. It's a standard-issue potion for the middle and senior courses, as well as the lower levels of the academy," Professor Kris's voice echoed.

"So you need to study, my dear. There are so many things about us, about this era, that you don't know."

After walking some distance, they saw a desk and equipment set up in the simple cave, along with a dirty, disheveled old man.

"Sterling, you really should clean this place up."

"The time I'd spend cleaning could be used to solve a problem or come up with a new idea," the old man at the desk glanced over, then lowered his head to continue his research.

"I know you, the famous exorcist gentleman. Kris, why did you bring him here?"

"An experiment."

Sterling paused, took off his glasses, and his bloodshot eyes carefully examined Lu Li.

"Do you believe in science?"

"Science does not require belief; it exists on its own," Lu Li replied calmly.

"My dear, it seems we are quite alike..." Professor Kris said, covering her mouth with a charming laugh.

"If I didn't know you, I'd think you were the one who told him to say that," Sterling's gaze on Lu Li grew friendlier.

"Kris said the same thing back then. She said science doesn't need belief; it exists objectively, it just no longer belongs to this era... Because of that, I refused to speak to her for a long time."