Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 394 The Foundation of Human Beings
In the stillness of the night, most of the facilities at the observatory were in a state of low activity.

The living structures slowly retracted their tentacles, emitting soft breathing sounds like that of a baby.

Occasionally, a few eye-shaped surveillance organs would peek out from the wall.

It lazily scanned the corridor, and after confirming that everything was safe, it retreated back into the depths of the stone wall.

Ron sat alone in the center of the laboratory, the magic crystal lamp on the table emitting a soft blue light.

Before him, two memory crystals of different shapes lay quietly on a silk mat.

He has already analyzed one of the pieces (a pale green, leaf-shaped piece), obtaining valuable information about the Twisted Jungle ecosystem.

How those flesh-and-blood trees devour life force, how those deformed flowers spread spiritual poison...

He calmly recorded all this knowledge and included it in his research archives.

Now it's the second piece's turn.

This memory crystal is light blue and teardrop-shaped, with a faint shimmer on its surface like seawater.

When Ron held it up to the magic lamp, the light inside began to slowly rotate, forming a complex vortex pattern.

Those points of light seemed like fireflies trapped in amber, carrying an indescribable sadness.

"Another tragic story..."

He muttered to himself, his tone as flat as if he were discussing the weather.

His long-term practice of "The Star Eater's Ramblings" has made him increasingly numb to such emotional fluctuations.

Those things that once touched his heart are now firmly frozen by the ice of reason and logic.

Ron carefully probed the depths of the crystal with his mental energy.

The boundaries of reality began to blur, and consciousness was drawn by a gentle force, sinking into the memory world of an unfamiliar woman.

I'm Ellie, and I'm twenty-four years old...

The voice of the memory's owner echoed deep within his consciousness, carrying a unique warmth.

That warmth was like the afternoon sun in spring, pure and unguarded.

Ron could sense her every emotional fluctuation and experience her ordinary yet fulfilling life.

This hotel is the legacy my father left to my brother Tom and me...

The scenes in my memory are so real and vivid:
The small inn is located on the edge of Ashtown and is a two-story wooden building.

Although it has a simple appearance, every detail reveals the owner's care.

On the windowsill sat handmade ceramic flowerpots, containing several unidentified small flowers.

Under the influence of the abyss radiation, the flowers take on a strange but beautiful purple hue, like the brightest star in the night sky.

Allie always wore the floral apron her mother had left her and busied herself in the hotel.

She would place hand-sewn cushions in each room, put a bouquet of wildflowers by the guest's bedside, and remember what kind of tea each explorer liked to drink...

"They need more than just sleep."

She gently stroked the clean sheets, her eyes full of tenderness: "What I need even more is... a feeling of home."

Ron felt this genuine kindness, but his heart remained completely unmoved.

This feeling was too distant for him, like watching someone else's life through thick glass.

He even began to calculate how much additional cost this "unconditional goodwill" would bring to the hotel's operations...

Every evening at dusk, I stand in front of the door, watching those brave explorers come from afar...

As the sun sets, Ellie always stands in the small garden in front of the hotel.

Her figure appeared so small under the blood-red sky, yet so resolute.

The explorers, about to step into the abyss, approached from afar.

Some looked serious, others tried to appear relaxed, but in everyone's eyes was a mixture of fear and determination.

Just like when Tom left...

The scene shifts, and the figure of a young man appears in the memory.

That was Ellie's younger brother, Tom, a boy who had just turned eighteen.

He had a bright smile and a stubborn chin, carried pitifully simple equipment, yet his eyes burned with a desire for adventure.

"Sister, I will definitely come back safely!"

Tom hugged Ellie, his voice filled with the impulsiveness typical of young people:

"Once I've made enough money, we'll move to the Central Lands and open a bigger hotel! Then you won't have to work so hard!"

Ellie smiled as she saw her brother off, but Ron could sense the unease deep within her heart.

It was an inexplicable premonition, like an invisible hand gently squeezing my heart.

Impulsive, foolish, unrealistic...

Ron commented on Tom's choice.

He saw this reckless behavior as utterly irrational.

With Tom's strength and equipment, venturing into the abyss would be tantamount to suicide.

But his emotions remained stagnant, as if this were just a data case that had nothing to do with him.

Time slips away quickly in memory.

One day, one week, one month...

Every day, Ellie would stand in front of the inn and gaze towards the abyss.

Her eyes shifted from expectation to worry, and from worry to despair.

Her bright smile gradually became forced, and the vitality in her voice slowly disappeared.

Other explorers returned one after another, some with wounds, some in a daze, some missing limbs, but none of them were the ones she was waiting for.

"Tom? Do you know Tom? The brown-haired boy who always smiles..."

Ellie seized every returning explorer and questioned them.

Her fingers unconsciously twisted the edge of her apron, a habitual gesture she made when nervous.

But all I ever get are shakes of the head and pitying glances.

It's been three months... There's been no news of Tom for three months...

The Ellie in my memory had become haggard, and the light in her eyes had faded.

She began to suffer from insomnia, often standing by the window late at night until dawn.

The hotel guests could hear her soft sobs, but no one knew how to comfort a sister who had lost her brother.

The townspeople all say I should give up... saying Tom must have already... but I don't believe it!
Despair and guilt gnawed at Ellie's heart like venomous snakes.

She began to blame herself, wondering what she should have done if she had stopped Tom from going to the abyss, what she should have done if she had gone with him...

Countless "what ifs" echoed repeatedly in her mind, tormenting her to the point of being unrecognizable.

The expected result...

Ron remained completely unmoved as he observed all of this.

He even began to analyze Ellie's behavioral patterns.

We need to consider what kind of psychological intervention could more effectively help her get rid of this unnecessary suffering.

But he failed to realize that this detached analysis itself revealed the problem.

Finally, one night, Ellie made a decision.

I'm going to find him... even if he's a corpse, I'll bring him home...

The exploration process I recall was filled with tragedy.

Ellie had no combat experience whatsoever; her "equipment" consisted of nothing more than a rusty kitchen knife and a few bottles of homemade herbs.

Every inch of the abyss is soaked in blood, and every gust of wind carries the scent of death.

A twisted monster lurks in the shadows, ready to tear apart any intruder.

But Ellie seemed oblivious to fear; she simply kept calling her brother's name over and over.

Tragedy strikes when you least expect it.

At the edge of a swamp, Ellie encountered one of the most malevolent creatures in the abyss—the memory parasite.

These tiny, invisible creatures seeped into her consciousness like smoke and began their most wicked work.

They not only devour the host's real memories, but more insidiously, they implant carefully crafted false memories.

It gives hope to the desperate and false comfort to the suffering, and then slowly erodes the host's brain.

Tom?! I heard you calling for help! Wait for me! Your sister is coming to save you!

Ellie, whose memories had been implanted with false information, had a renewed spark of hope in her eyes.

She "heard" her brother's cries for help and "saw" him trapped deeper inside.

These illusions were so real that even her sense of touch and smell were perfectly deceived.

Almost there... I'm almost there... I can feel him ahead... He's waiting for me...

But Ron knew the truth.

Through the memory crystal, he could see the parasite slowly devouring Ellie's brain.

At that moment, the memory abruptly ended.

Perhaps it was the analysis of the memory crystal that allowed him to completely immerse himself in the story's protagonist.

This immersive and unique experience deeply moved him.

When Ron slowly regained consciousness, he was surprised to find that his eyes were slightly moist.

"I...cried?"

He raised his hand, trembling as he touched his eye sockets.

This sudden emotional reaction surprised him somewhat.

How long has it been since I was moved by the death of a stranger?

But then, a deeper fear welled up inside me.

When did I become so indifferent?

When did other people's suffering become just data to me?

He remembered Eve's longing amethyst eyes;

I remembered Nari's unconditional support;
I remembered Dale and Alan's quiet companionship all along...

The traces left by these people's efforts and their sincere emotions are fading in my heart. At the time of the event, I might have been slightly moved for a moment.

But afterwards, the rationality would immediately extinguish the urge, and they would immerse themselves again in the world of research and cultivation.

The family members, far away in the Kingdom of Farouk, would write many long letters each time and would also send back portraits of family members regularly.

What activities has Edmund, the eldest brother, participated in recently?
A few more strands of my father's hair have turned white;

Andrei complained to him about how troublesome those damned old-fashioned nobles were...

These messages once brought him some warmth.

But now?

He glanced at the letters casually, glancing at them to confirm they were worthless before moving on, much like when he was researching academic materials.

"What kind of monster am I turning into...?"

Ron's voice echoed in his heart, carrying an indescribable sorrow.

He recalled Yutel's warning and the records of ancient alchemists from those bygone eras.

The last sentence Lance wrote:
"If I were to be reborn, I hope to find a research method that does not require the sacrifice of others."

But in this life, I must achieve a breakthrough within a limited time; for the sake of greater good, I must tolerate lesser evil.

And there's Alexander King's complete transformation into madness;

Elena's Moonshine met its end when it was consumed by the very hatred it created...

The experiences of these predecessors served as a warning to him.

But now he finds himself heading down the same path.

It's not a physical transformation, but a spiritual alienation.

The training in "The Star Eater's Whispers," the profit-driven environment of wizarding society, and the desire for greater power...

All of this was subtly changing him.

This made him increasingly indifferent, and increasingly see everything as a resource to be exploited.

"If I continue like this..."

He imagined his future self, what he would be like when he became a great wizard many years from now.

Will they, like Cassandra, engage in endless plunder and slaughter?

Would you not hesitate to sacrifice anyone around you for your research?
This possibility filled him with deep fear.

"No...I can't become like that..."

Ron took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down.

Ellie's memories were like a mirror, allowing him to see clearly what he was losing.

Moved, compassionate, and in awe of life...

These precious qualities are being lost little by little.

Perhaps that was the meaning behind Yutel's warning back then.

The acquisition of power always comes at a price; the key is to ensure that you do not lose what is most important in the pursuit of power.

He needs an emotional anchor, something that reminds him of his humanity.

Eve, Nari, Dale, Ilan...

And then there are my family members far away; they are my most precious treasures in this cruel world.

Just as he was deep in thought, a beam of light suddenly burst forth from the depths of the memory crystal.

That wasn't Ellie's memory, but some completely different kind of information.

Advanced, sophisticated, and with a complexity that surpasses human comprehension.

The fundamental theory of spell reversal...

Ron's thoughts were instantly pulled back to reality.

This was the knowledge that the King of Illusions had promised him, but he never expected that the other party would pass it on in this way.

The memory crystal was always sealed in the most secure storage room of the observation station, surrounded by multiple protection and monitoring systems.

How exactly did the other party manage to implant information so quietly and without alerting anyone?

This ability to infiltrate without anyone noticing made him realize once again how terrifying the existence of the Witch King level was.

[Forbidden knowledge input detected: Spell Reversal (Prototype)]

Current level of understanding: Initial stage (5/100)

Knowledge flooded his consciousness, but this time Ron wasn't fully immersed in it.

The core principle of spell reversal is based on the reverse operation of causality...

Any supernatural effect imposed on a target will leave a causal imprint on the structure of reality...

The ingenuity of the theory was indeed admirable, but Ron was now more concerned about the cost of using this power.

Each reversal damages the user's soul, and each success may make one more addicted to this power itself.

Isn't this another form of alienation?
"Power is always a double-edged sword..."

He gently stroked the memory crystal, pondering the true intentions of the King of Illusions.

It is no coincidence that the other party chose this time and this method to transmit knowledge.

Perhaps He was aware of Ron's inner changes, or perhaps this was a reminder or warning.

The memory crystals have been stored in the highest-security storage room at the observatory.

The area is not only protected by physical barriers, but also directly monitored by the power of the Yutel Void.

If the King of Illusions could implant information into them at will...

So, is there anywhere else she can't reach?
What secrets are still hidden?
This realization sent a chill down Ron's spine.

Outside the observatory, a blood moon hung high in the eerie night sky.

Those living structures continue their eternal breathing, emitting heavy gasps like those of a giant beast.

In this oppressive atmosphere, he felt an unprecedented sense of bewilderment.

That experience just now gave me some kind of insight.

Human emotions are undoubtedly extremely precious.

It can drive an ordinary woman to her death, and it can also help a cold-hearted wizard rediscover himself.

"I cannot become a slave to the pursuit of power..."

He carefully put away the memory crystal, having made a decision in his heart.

As the night deepened, the observatory fell into a deathly silence.

Only the distant murmur of the abyss reminded everyone how close they were to the endless cavern of darkness.

But for Ron, the eerie breathing sound made him feel at ease.

At least, in the depths of that darkness, there is a "mother" who is willing to protect him unconditionally, waiting for him.

"This emotional connection is a way to preserve the anchor of humanity..."

He slowly began to understand something:

"The existence of social relationships and emotional connections is the foundation of being a human being..."

Nari's love may be twisted, but it is certainly genuine.

This feeling may become one of the important supports for him when he experiences emotional deprivation in the future.

………………

The guest room area of ​​the abyss observatory was shrouded in darkness.

Chloe sat alone in the center of the room, with the "celestial sphere" crystal, inherited from Astraea, placed in front of her.

The nebula inside the crystal rotates slowly, emitting a dreamy silver-blue light.

But at this moment, the girl's mood was far from as serene as the light.

"It's been over a week..."

She gently touched the crystal pendant on her chest, her voice tinged with barely concealed anxiety:
"He's finally back, but..."

Recalling their brief encounter in the passageway, Chloe's feelings became even more complicated.

Ron's polite distance and eagerness to leave clearly conveyed one message—she held a negligible place in his heart.

"The publication of the paper in the journal *Deconstruction*... the public endorsement of the great wizard Vinard..."

She muttered to herself the news circulating at the observation station these past few days, her unease growing stronger.

Every rumor seemed to confirm the accuracy of her prediction—Ron was indeed the key figure at that crossroads of fate.

But at the same time, these rumors also made her realize a cruel reality:

The other person's status is rising at an astonishing rate, while she is still just an unknown nobody from a remote astrological society.

"Providing timely help and adding to someone's existing success..."

Chloe shook her head with a wry smile, recalling what her adoptive mother, Astraea, had once said:

"A true wise person always appears when others need help the most. But now... does he still need my help?"

She knew the answer.

Given Ron's current status and connections, there are countless young witches who want to curry favor with him.

Those daughters of prominent families, those exceptionally talented academic stars, and those professionals with special skills...

In comparison, what can she offer?

Divination? Prophecy?

Although this ability is valuable, it is not very attractive to Ron, who already possesses quite good divination abilities according to Yutel.

"Maybe...maybe I took the wrong path from the very beginning..."

Just as she was falling into self-doubt, there was a soft knock on the door.

"Little Chloe?"

The old professor's kind voice came from outside the door:
"Aren't you resting yet? I can sense that your emotions are fluctuating quite a bit."

"Please come in, Professor."

Chloe quickly got up and straightened her somewhat disheveled robe.

Yutel's gaze swept over the divination tools on the table, a look of understanding appearing in his eyes:
Are you troubled by someone special?

(End of this chapter)