Chapter 33 - Diary
This diary was written in Ruins Script. Judging by that, this Holwig Gai was most likely an exchange student from the Kingdom of Ruins.
The Kingdom of Ruins is the birthplace of alchemy; over half of all ancient alchemy texts are written in Ruins Script. As a result, it's a required course for alchemy majors, so Zhou Ning had no trouble reading it.
Holwig clearly had the habit of journaling. Today was September 2nd, and this diary began six months earlier, on March 2nd. The beginning entries were mostly about his studies and trivial matters related to alchemy. It was obvious he loved the subject.
"March 2nd – Today I finally got to start learning alchemy. It's the most fascinating thing in the world. You just can't imagine how many magical transformations can occur in a tiny beaker or crucible. The most incredible thing is that even though matter changes, the total amount doesn't decrease. After all, only when one substance disappears can another be born in its place. Professor Bislok, who's in charge of teaching, seems to like me a lot—understandable, since I'm destined to become a Grand Alchemist."
...
"March 19th – It's been half a month since I started studying alchemy, and everything's going smoothly. Professor Bislok thinks highly of me and appointed me as class monitor. But I once overheard a heated argument between him and Professor Walter. Bislok believes the human soul has weight, and anything with weight can be manipulated through alchemy—so soul alchemy, even life-forging, is theoretically possible. But Walter argues that creating life is a divine taboo. According to the law of equivalent exchange, a new life must come at the cost of another. I didn't fully understand it, but I was deeply shaken. The next day, I asked Professor Bislok if the human soul really has weight. He gave me a meaningful look and said: 'Yes.'"
...
"March 21st – Professor Bislok took me to a private clinic today. A dying elderly woman lay in the hospital bed, which was equipped with a highly precise scale. Her weight was currently 90 pounds. Over the next six hours, her body gradually lost weight—probably due to moisture evaporating. But at the exact moment of death, her weight suddenly dropped by three-quarters of an ounce. Professor Bislok told me: that three-quarters of an ounce was the soul's weight. It was incredible. I couldn't stop wondering where the soul goes after death—and whether it's possible to retrieve it. Oh goddess above, none of this was mentioned in Goethe's alchemy textbook. It's as if someone opened a door in the darkness."
...
"March 29th – I am the Chosen One! Today, Professor Bislok asked me to help organize some ancient texts from the Era of the Four Heroes at his home. Hidden between the pages of one volume, I found a mysterious alchemy booklet written by a long-lost alchemist named Goodwin! Truly, it's $#%@ (text in Ruins). I secretly kept the booklet. I have a feeling it's going to change my life."
At this point, Zhou Ning's expression turned grim. This clueless fool didn't realize what was happening—anyone else could see that Professor Bislok was clearly a member of the Life Alchemy Society, slowly leading this Holwig Gai into the trap.
In the game's lore, players could only learn about the Era of the Four Heroes through promotional videos. It was said to be a time when the gods still walked the earth, with the Four Heroes acting as their agents. Even in the game, the history of that era was shrouded in mystery. Statues of the Four Heroes stood along the Seton River in the capital city of Darkland, but detailed records were scarce—even the libraries had little to offer.
A mere university professor collecting so many relics from that period, and then letting a student handle them alone? Who would believe that?
Zhou Ning shook his head and continued reading the diary:
"March 30th – I read the booklet cover to cover. Turns out this is only half the volume—the other half is stored in the library at Vick University. Even so, this partial version opened my eyes. It contains horrifying, evil alchemical techniques written in ancient Farric. One recipe calls for putting sheep entrails and human sperm into a flask, then adding leech powder and serpent flowers to create a substance capable of modifying human bloodlines. If successful, it grants special abilities. Another recipe combines horny goat weed with animal organs to brew a love potion. Frequent use would make the woman you desire fall for you. These alchemies are dark and complex—but I couldn't stop reading."
"April 5th – I was chosen to be an exchange student at Vick University. I really hate Darkland's weather!"
"April 11th – Farewell, Ruins. Farewell, Inyek University!"
"April 21st – The people of Bryston are the worst—arrogant, self-important. Not a single person said hi to me all day."
"April 23rd – I think I'm in love. Oh, Maggie, such a sweet woman… (several lines of omitted fantasy)."
"April 24th – Today was depressing. Turns out Maggie already has a boyfriend—some dumb musclehead jerk."
"May 12th – I can't take this one-sided love anymore. Could the things in that booklet really work? I gathered the ingredients from one of the formulas and began the alchemical process. I hope it works!"
"May 17th – After five days of use, Maggie confessed to me today. My god, the formula actually worked!"
"June 17th – The past month has been a mix of joy and frustration. I moved in with Maggie and we did everything lovers do. But her ex—the musclehead jerk—keeps picking fights with me. I've been beaten up seven times in just two weeks. I can't let this go. I remembered another alchemy in the booklet."
"July 5th – I finally gathered the ingredients: sheep entrails, serpent flower, leech powder… and I handled the sperm part myself. After five days of refinement, the result looked like a giant condom. Do I really have to implant this thing into my body?"
"July 11th – I did it. The formula worked. I gained an ability others can only dream of: invisibility! I beat up Maggie's ex and his gang, then strolled through the women's bathhouse and public carriages over and over. I was living every man's fantasy!"
"August 24th – Life has been good, but something's wrong. My memory's slipping—I forget things I put down just hours earlier. My face has started growing scales. What's happening to me?"
"August 25th – My symptoms are getting worse. To avoid forgetting anything, I've written everything in more detail. Today I received an anonymous letter, telling me to go to 5 Greenham Street—it claimed to have a cure. I found a group of lunatics there calling themselves the Life Alchemy Society. They want to plant five alchemical bombs during Vick University's orientation day—and I'm supposed to throw one. These bombs are powerful, but what does that have to do with me? I agreed, took the formula, and discovered that the first step they call 'conversion' involves replacing your organs one by one with specially refined healthy ones…"
"August 26th – Maggie, you'll forgive me, right?"
"August 28th – The experiment worked. After transplanting Maggie's stomach into my body, I've regained my human form. But my memory is still weak, and my temper's getting worse. Meanwhile, I've set my sights on Sharon. She's adorable—just my type. After taking the potion, I've never liked someone this much…"
Zhou Ning knew what happened after that—Holwig brutally murdered Sharon. There was no point in reading further. The rest was nothing but deranged rambling, extremely disturbing.
Holwig Gai had started out relatively normal, but by the end, he'd become utterly depraved—lecherous, selfish, and cruel. Zhou Ning didn't feel any guilt about killing him.
He exchanged a glance with Sherlock. Both of them were shaken.
They hadn't expected the Life Alchemy Society to be this insane—targeting Vick University's orientation day no less.
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