The Bizarre Detective Agency

Chapter 955: The New Year Approaches

Mastering alchemy still required time, but Lu Li was already prepared for the level 1 trial in Anomaly Studies. Failing it wouldn't set him back, as the prerequisite of level 2 knowledge wouldn't affect his overall progress.

At noon, Lu Li and the six other students taking the trial entered the classroom and began the level 1 exam under the watchful eyes of the proctors.

—A ghost in the four main systems can evolve into a ____

—An evil spirit follows the rules of the ____ Hunt.

—The common trait of an evil spirit and a spirit of defilement is ____

This was the same basic knowledge covered in mysticism, and there was some overlap.

The quill pen wrote the corresponding answers on the parchment: a vengeful spirit, an evil spirit; a ritual, continuing through the fill-in-the-blank questions.

From the middle of the parchment onward, the questions grew more difficult, their scope expanding beyond basic knowledge. For example, multiple-choice questions touched on the origin of the worms and the leader of the anomalies occupying the former town of Connard.

The former was already an ally of Lu Li's, while the latter was described in detail in a book titled "The Lost Lands."

The town of Connard had once been an extension of the Gloom Plains, reaching eastward to serve as a forward base. But from the moment it was established, it provoked an anomaly uprising; the anomalies dwelling in the eastern wilderness swarmed the divine town, tore its deity to pieces, and seized the settlement.The encroaching anomaly horde continued to assault the Gloom Plains but was ultimately halted by three mutually supporting divine towns behind Connard, averting the terrible catastrophe of humanity's great collapse.

After that, it became the closest anomaly-held town to human lands. Before the darkness from the Unknown Lands arrived, humanity had considered retaking Connard, but they feared it would provoke another uprising.

In the end, with the coming of the darkness, all such thoughts vanished into the primordial darkness, and humanity retreated to the divine towns and underground.

After selecting Eye-Worm and Twisted Nest, Lu Li moved on to the final question of the level 1 Anomaly Studies trial.

—Describe the known habits and structure of the corpse-eaters.

The first part of the "Anomaly Bestiary" in Lu Li's possession contained a detailed description of the corpse-eaters.

The book, which should have been on the third floor of the library, had been temporarily set aside due to severe knowledge contamination. He would only be able to open it again once the contamination was cleansed, or when his own humanity was strong enough to block it.

After finishing the last question and checking his work, Lu Li handed in the parchment and left the Anomaly Studies classroom early.

At the corner of the hallway, Lu Li ran into Fudot coming the other way. She looked surprisingly flustered and blurted out, "I was just passing by! I wasn't waiting for you!"—then hurried away.

A moment later, the footsteps returned.

"And I wasn't following you!"

The girl declared haughtily and walked away again.

For his afternoon elective, Lu Li only chose the class on the In-Between, spending the rest of his time reviewing the subject—he had chosen to take the In-Between trial tomorrow.

As evening approached, students finishing their last classes began to trickle into the assembly hall for dinner.

In his room, Lu Li took a break from the chaotic knowledge of the In-Between and opened his alchemy book.

Prolonged exposure to certain kinds of knowledge lowered one's level of reason, but this could be restored simply by resting, being in a bright, lively environment, or experiencing positive emotions.

Lu Li decided to use alchemy to clear his head.

Taking "From Basics to Alchemy," Lu Li went to the assembly hall.

The noisy bustle and the aroma of food were genuinely relaxing.

Dogmeat must have arrived long ago; three stacks of empty plates were already piled up beside him.

Fudot was resting her chin on one hand, listlessly stirring her fuzhun soup with the other, pretending to cast casual glances around.

"Are you preparing for alchemy?"

After getting a confirmation from Lu Li, she put down her spoon and announced proudly, "My cousin told me that the level 1 alchemy trial is harder than the level 2 trial, but I think they're both very simple."

"You're already at level 2 alchemy?"

Dogmeat looked up in amazement, his face smeared with food.

"...Not yet, but I've already passed the level 1 mysticism trial!"

"Oh."

Dogmeat, who came from the slums, held a natural reverence for alchemy. As for mysticism? How hard could it be when it was all around them?

Fudot was annoyed by Dogmeat's attitude, but level 1 mysticism really wasn't much to brag about. Fudot could only scoff at the fact that Dogmeat hadn't even reached level 1 mysticism yet.

"Haig said my talent is better suited for alchemy, but it's too difficult..."

Dogmeat's shoulders slumped.

Many students knew that the constantly eating young man was illiterate, and forcing him to study alchemy would only be a painful and agonizing ordeal. Fudot considered a possibility. "Because of your talent?"

"Mhm, I can smell things."

Theoretically, a talent related to mysteries wasn't supposed to be revealed, but in the Crown Level, the best environment and atmosphere in the human world, it was hard for students to remain vigilant and cautious for long. The professors also encouraged them to socialize.

"Subtler smells?"

Fudot's expression was complicated by Dogmeat's frankness, though she knew the boy had only revealed his talent because he was too simple-minded.

"What does 'subtle' mean?" Dogmeat muttered.

"I can sense contamination and every single smell."

"For example, Lu Li didn't smell very good a few days ago, but now he smells better than before."

As soon as he said that, numerous sniffs could be heard around Lu Li.

The tip of Fudot's nose twitched, and she restrained herself from sniffing the air like the other students.

"What's your talent?" Dogmeat's question diverted her attention.

Fudot tilted her chin up proudly. "It's the bloodline of the Lince family. It will make me the best witch in mysticism."

The gazes of the surrounding students on Fudot became reverent and complex.

Bloodline power. Lu Li had seen it described at the end of "An Introduction to Mysticism."

People who had obtained mystical power for various reasons had offspring, and those whose descendants inherited that mystical power were said to possess a bloodline power.

The Lince family was one of them.

But humanity still knew little about bloodline power, and it was impossible to judge its pros and cons. Because even the families and clans that began having children at the start of the Age of Anomalies now numbered no more than three generations. It was difficult to judge anything beyond that.

Perhaps the ancient bloodline families from the Ancient Era knew more, but they were hidden too deep—or it wasn't recorded, at least not in beginner textbooks like "An Introduction to Mysticism."

"Are there anomalies on the Crown Level...?" a student sitting next to Dogmeat asked quietly.

"No. The Academy is the cleanest place I've ever smelled!"

Dogmeat's eyes shone as he spoke. It was unclear whether it was from the sight of a chicken leg or from his love for the Academy of Giant Trees.

Two students walked past in the corridor behind them, carrying exquisitely wrapped gift boxes tied with ribbons. Lu Li overheard snippets of their conversation, including the words "New Year" and "gifts."

Lu Li remembered that the New Year was only five days away.

This would be his first New Year spent in this world, in the 24th year.

The Age of Anomalies, following the old calendar, had also inherited its holidays.

The next morning, Lu Li received word that he had successfully passed the level 1 trial in Anomaly Studies.

And the Academy of Giant Trees, in anticipation of the New Year, had also begun to decorate its halls.