While Lynn couldn’t ascertain if there was truly an issue with this entity, it didn’t deter him from taking precautionary measures in the laboratory beforehand.
As it turned out, these precautions were not made in vain.
In reality, for wizards, the assessment of intelligence in a creature was a rather broad concept. It wasn’t just about conditional responses to external stimuli; true intelligence meant the ability to think, to learn, and to possess independent self-awareness.
Lynn was curious: did the liquid metal monster before him operate solely on instinct, or did it genuinely possess intelligence?
Lynn observed the blob of liquid metal with great interest, and it seemed to sense Lynn’s gradually strange gaze.
The once subdued liquid metal began to show signs of unease, emitting a sizzling sound as it bumped against nearby containers.
The containers, made from special materials, revealed small white dots where they were struck.
“Surprisingly, you still retain some corrosive capability, but you’ve been a bit naughty,” Lynn remarked with a smile.
After nearly an hour of collisions, the blob of liquid metal finally completely corroded the metal plate of the box that it had been striking against, turning the corroded metal into a grayish-white wax that the liquid metal slowly absorbed.
But before this blob of liquid metal could excitedly rush out, there was suddenly—clang!
A mechanism triggered, and as the first layer of the box disappeared, the second layer was already in place. The liquid metal collided with another layer of new metal box.
Anticipating its corrosive nature, Lynn had prepared multiple layers of metal boxes, with each layer isolated from the others! Thus, the corrosion wouldn’t spread between the metal boxes.
Each layer could delay the corrosion for an hour, and when countless hours were stacked together, it could continually delay the speed of corrosion of this blob of liquid metal.
However, the suppressant Lynn had previously prepared seemed to have little effect on it.
After several hours of effort, the liquid metal seemed to finally realize that no matter how hard it tried, it couldn’t break through this cage. Gradually, it lost the drive to keep struggling, resembling a limp fish in a cage.
Lynn narrowed his eyes slightly as he manipulated the metal box to bring it closer to the mother body of the white flesh.
As it drew nearer, the liquid metal inside the cage became more and more agitated.
It continuously banged against the walls of the cage, and with each step closer, this emotional intensity spread vividly.
Lynn sensed its emotion—it seemed to be fear.
Was it afraid of the mother body because it had the ability to absorb all the split white flesh?
Lynn’s lips curled upwards, excitement gleaming in his eyes. Since there was something to be feared, it meant it could be controlled to some extent.
A month passed, and Lynn, who had been holed up in the laboratory all this time, finally had a new research breakthrough!
Looking at the pure white liquid metal trapped inside the metal cage before him.
After Lynn’s month-long research efforts, some of its characteristics had been modified, and he had developed a new effect—assimilation.
It could assimilate onto the target like a liquid metal weapon. Under the potion Lynn developed, it could retain its corrosive ability, but to a degree of symbiosis with the host. However, this symbiosis wasn’t a hundred percent successful; there was a chance of failure, and the consequences of failure were death.
According to his research, after live experiments, this liquid metal seemed to undergo a strange reaction and could no longer be separated.
What’s even more peculiar is that afterwards, when Lynn followed the formula to create new liquid metal, the previous liquid metal would mysteriously die.
It was as if some rule dictated that only one could exist at a time, and Lynn used this method to separate the previous liquid metal.
It was precisely because of this characteristic that Lynn abandoned the idea of mass production.
Lynn summoned his followers.
Redeyes, Lauren, Bu, Bowa, and the four-armed brute force demon.
Looking at a lizard-man, a human, two goblins, and a demon before him.
Even though this was his research achievement, it wasn’t something just anyone could use.
If successful, it would be an opportunity to ascend to the heavens in one step. Leaving aside other abilities, just the bizarre corrosive ability and the powerful resistance to magical and physical damage, even an ordinary person could become a strange and powerful monster. Lynn had previously experimented on rabbits and mice. Even when struck by lightning, it couldn’t harm them in the slightest. In the end, Lynn had to kill them using the method of remaking the liquid metal.
So, under the premise of ensuring loyalty, Lynn carefully chose subjects.
Pointing to the liquid metal in the metal cage beside him, Lynn succinctly explained the risks of this experiment.
“Who among you wants to try?” Lynn asked.
The four-armed brute force demon scratched its head. It wasn’t interested in this kind of thing; it wasn’t delicious.
Although Bowa was somewhat tempted, she hesitated due to its potential harm.
Bu glanced over and then lowered its head, its two big eyes staring at its own toes, as if there was something interesting there.
Redeyes hesitated for a moment, then made up its mind. Just as it was about to speak, another figure had already walked out.
“Lauren,” Bowa looked worriedly at Lauren walking out.
Lauren turned back, shook his head firmly at Bowa, and gave her a reassuring look.
Ever since accompanying his master to the Wizard Continent, Lauren had noticed his diminishing usefulness to his master. There were too many powerful beings in this world, and the strength he once took pride in, especially in front of ordinary humans, now seemed so insignificant.
He knew that if he didn’t strive harder, he might truly disappear from his master’s sight.
“You all go out first,” Lynn said to the others.
Only Lauren remained in the laboratory.
Lynn walked to the side, scraped some powder from the white flesh, and then began preparing the experimental materials, pausing just before the final step of successfully making the liquid metal. “Take it,” Lynn said.
Though Lynn couldn’t guarantee success, he could at least make new liquid metal before the last moment of failure.
At least this way, Lauren could salvage his life.
Lauren reached his hand into the metal cage, and the liquid metal lying quietly in the cage suddenly moved, as if a venomous snake were burrowing into Lauren’s arm!
Lauren grunted and stepped back, his hands tightly gripping the edge of the experiment table, his tail swaying incessantly.
The liquid metal moved continuously along his arm, like a mouse hiding beneath the surface of his skin.
Gradually, the moving liquid metal became smaller and smaller, as if merging with him. At the same time, Lauren’s green scales gradually shimmered with a metallic luster.
Half an hour later, Lauren, as if pulled from water, crawled up from the ground.
His two long arms, covered in scales, hung naturally from his shoulders, his towering figure slightly drooping. His originally orange pupils turned into a regal golden hue.
His lips cracked open, revealing rows of teeth as dense as those of a shark.
Thunk!
The laboratory floor trembled slightly as Lauren knelt on one knee.
“Thank you, master, for granting me strength.”
——