Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 413 Source Code

At this point, the historical fragments have entered a crucial stage.

Victor Amod, the "father of the imposters," is currently in the process of conceiving and creating a stand-in puppet.

Ron heard many details.

"Only souls that die in extreme pain will develop a strong obsession at the moment of death, and this obsession is the key to extracting the soul..."

As Victor took notes, he glanced at the alien woman who was restrained on the experimental table.

She was still alive, but there was no hope left in her eyes, only an empty despair.

"I'm sorry, I need your pain..."

His voice sounded even genuinely apologetic, but the scalpel in his hand fell without hesitation.

The woman's screams echoed in the laboratory, but were quickly swallowed up by various soundproofing arrays.

Through countless experiments, Victor gradually mastered the basic techniques of soul extraction.

He discovered that the souls of those who die in extreme pain and fear experience violent fluctuations at the moment of death, fluctuations that can be captured by specially designed arrays of runes.

But new problems have arisen.

The extracted soul is extremely unstable and often dissipates within minutes of leaving its original host.

Even if it can be preserved for a short time, it cannot perfectly integrate with a new body.

"The issue of soul compatibility..."

Victor looked at the specially made containers containing soul fragments, a thoughtful expression in his eyes.

These containers shimmered with a faint light, each glimmer representing a fragment of consciousness.

"If a complete soul cannot be transplanted directly, then... what about gradual absorption?"

A crazy idea took shape in his mind.

Rather than trying to implant a complete soul all at once, it's better to create an empty shell that can "grow".

Let it gradually absorb and assimilate fragments of other people's souls through contact with living beings.

"Like a parasite, it slowly drains the life essence of its host..."

The idea made Victor so excited he almost trembled.

He began to design a completely new creation.

It is not a man-made life in the traditional sense, but an empty shell with the ability to "learn".

Victor poured all his energy into this project, incorporating his understanding of alchemy, soul science, and bloodline manipulation.

The most crucial element is the core rune array.

The complexity of this array surpasses any of Victor's previous works.

Each rune is meticulously calculated to capture, analyze, store, and fuse the soul information of the person it comes into contact with.

"You will be my most perfect creation..."

Victor gently stroked the newly completed puppet, his eyes filled with a sickly tenderness.

This seemingly harmless doll is actually the culmination of his life's work:
"You will learn from everyone you come into contact with, absorbing their memories, emotions, habits... Ultimately, you will become the perfect simulator, and no one will be able to distinguish the real from the fake..."

Ron carefully examined the structure of the runes, a chill running through him.

Although he couldn't fully understand it with his current level of alchemy, he was gradually starting to grasp the basics.

This array can not only store fragments of the soul of the person it comes into contact with, but also use these fragments to construct consciousness.

Even more frightening is that this array has the ability to learn and continuously improve its camouflage techniques.

"This is the truth behind your birth..."

Ron muttered to himself, gaining a deeper understanding of Victor's madness.

Historical fragments continue to flow, and time leaps to the first change of hands after the puppet was completed.

One day, an abyss explorer discovered deliberately left laboratory ruins.

This was a burly middle-aged man with corrosive scars on his face from the abyss environment.

His name is Tavish, and he is an experienced loner.

"Damn alchemist, died such a horrible death..."

Tavish carefully searched the remains of the laboratory, looking for any valuable items:

"However, their collections are usually quite valuable, so you might find something good..."

When his hand touched the substitute puppet, he immediately felt a strange connection.

The puppet's eyes flickered slightly, and the internal soul anchoring array began to activate automatically.

"Interesting little gadgets..."

Tavish put the puppet into his backpack, unaware that this decision would completely change his fate.

Over the next three months, Tavish suffered multiple deadly attacks from abyssal creatures.

Every time he faces a life-or-death situation, the stand-in puppet automatically activates its ability to take his place, allowing him to survive.

But Ron astutely observed that after each substitution, Tavish became even more dependent on the puppet.

His behavior began to subtly change, becoming more impulsive and more willing to take risks.

"This ability... is amazing..."

Tavesh stroked the surface of the puppet, a greedy glint in his eyes:
"With it, I can explore the deeper abyss and obtain even more precious treasures..."

But he didn't realize that the puppet was quietly devouring fragments of his soul.

Each time the puppet dies in someone else's place, its learning ability is enhanced, but the user also becomes more dependent on this external force.

Three months later, during a deep exploration, Tavish was attacked by a swarm of bloodthirsty bats.

The puppet reactivated its ability to die in place of another, but this time the price was exceptionally high.

Tavish felt his consciousness begin to blur, as if something was being drawn away from the depths of his soul.

"No...something's wrong..."

He tried to stay conscious, but the puppet's influence had seeped into his very bones:

"Why...why am I so dependent on this thing..."

Just then, a black market merchant was inexplicably drawn to the vicinity.

This is a thin, middle-aged woman named Julia, who specializes in acquiring all sorts of abyssal items of dubious origin.

Looks like you're in trouble, friend.

Julia's voice carried the shrewdness characteristic of a businesswoman:
"Do you need treatment? I have some excellent recovery potions here, but of course, a little bit... in exchange is needed."

Tavesh looked at her weakly, a strange impulse rising within him.

Do you want this puppet?

He trembled as he took out the substitute puppet:

"It can save lives, but... but it has some side effects..."

Julia's keen business sense immediately recognized the value of the puppet.

When she used her mental power to investigate, she immediately sensed the complex energy structure contained within.

"Interesting, very interesting..."

She carefully examined every detail of the puppet:
"This level of craftsmanship is absolutely masterful. Sold."

After the transaction was completed, Tavish obtained enough medicine to treat his injuries.

However, after losing the puppet's protection, he habitually descended into the depths of the abyss a week later and never came out again.

Julia, meanwhile, returned to the black market with the puppet and began to investigate the true value of this strange object.

"Able to simulate anyone you've ever come into contact with..."

Through various tests, she gradually discovered the puppet's amazing abilities:

"This ability to disguise oneself is practically priceless in the black market..."

Julia begins using puppets to carry out various fraudulent activities.

She had the puppets interact with different clients, then simulated their appearances and even personality traits to carry out sophisticated scams.

This perfect disguise allowed her to amass a huge fortune in a short period of time.

But her greed also made her overlook the potential dangers of the puppet.

Six months later, during a scam, Julia was targeted by her enemies for revenge.

The puppet activated its ability to take someone else's life, saving her life, but at the cost of her personality beginning to become distorted.

"I...who am I?"

Julia looked at herself in the mirror and felt deeply confused:
"Am I Julia? Or one of those people I've simulated?"

The numerous personality patterns absorbed by the puppet began to intertwine and become chaotic in her consciousness, causing her to gradually lose self-awareness.

Ultimately, she was killed by her own subordinates during a split personality episode.

The substitute puppet was once again transferred to a new owner...

As historical fragments flowed by, Ron witnessed the puppet's countless changes of ownership.

Each holder has a different identity and background:

Mercenaries, wizards, adventurers...

But they all have one thing in common—a desire for and dependence on the power of the abyss.

What chilled him to the bone was that every time the item changed hands, it was always accompanied by bloodshed.

Puppetry brings misfortune like a curse, and no owner of it ever dies a good death.

Ron realized that this was no accident.

The stand-in puppets seem to have specific preferences when choosing their masters.

It deliberately targets those desperate criminals obsessed with the abyss, those willing to pay any price for power. Only such people would frequently use the ability to sacrifice themselves, giving the puppet the opportunity to continuously devour fragments of souls.

The only exception was Vice Dean Hayek, who gave him the item at the time.

Considering that the other party was also once Professor Utter's student, perhaps there was some secret he didn't know.

"And I am the only one who has possessed and used this ability for so long without ever activating it..."

Ron mentally summarized these findings, while a deep sense of vigilance arose within him:
"This is perhaps why I was able to maintain my rationality and not be controlled by the puppet in the opposite way."

As his memory perception deepened, he finally accessed key information from Victor's final experiment.

Within the rune array at the core of the puppet lies a piece of "source code".

This code contains Victor's understanding of artificial life, as well as his unfinished conception of a perfect life form.

"Deciphering this code should be the key to completely unlocking all the secrets of the puppet..."

However, to decipher the source code, it is necessary to infiltrate through historical events.

Such deep exploration is extremely dangerous; if it were to be corrupted by Victor's insane consciousness, the consequences would be unimaginable.

[Historical Research (Proficient) Experience Points +1]

[Current Progress: Historical Research (Proficient 56/100)]

[Important historical clue detected: Victor's "source code"]

As the historical perception ended, Ron slowly opened his eyes.

Nari immediately noticed the change in his demeanor and asked with concern:
"Child, you look very tired..."

Several tentacles gently massaged him:

"What findings did the research reveal? Does Mom need to prepare any recovery medication for you?"

"I learned a lot, Mom."

Ron stroked the puppet in his hand.

He briefly explained his findings to Nari, including Victor's insane experiments, the puppet's terrifying properties, and the plan to infiltrate historical events.

Since he needs Nari's help, there's no point in hiding this basic information.

"That sounds extremely dangerous..."

All of Nari's eyes showed worry, and his tentacles twitched uneasily.

"Mom doesn't want you to take that risk."

That Victor sounds like a complete madman; his lingering consciousness might corrupt your mind…”

“I understand your concerns, but this is something I have to face.”

Ron's tone was gentle yet firm as he lightly stroked Nari's nearest tentacle:
"Furthermore, I will not act rashly. Once I return to the observatory, I will discuss the detailed preparations with Professor Yutel."

Nari remained silent for a long time before finally nodding in agreement:
“If this is your decision, Mom will support you. But you must promise me that no matter what danger you encounter, you will contact Mom immediately.”

"I promise you."

Having completed this in-depth historical exploration, Ron's understanding of the Substitute Puppet has reached a whole new level.

It embodies the ambition of that mad alchemist.

To fully control its power, one must bravely confront the lingering echoes of that sealed history.

The need for historians to change careers is now urgent.

"Speaking of which, after Mom absorbed that old guy Magus's Void Essence, her control over power has become more precise, which can help you better."

Ron was overjoyed.

Nari's improved control skills will allow him to try things he wouldn't have dared to do before.

"Mom, I do have some important experiments that I need your help with."

Knowing that the other party didn't appreciate his politeness, he considered it briefly before directly stating his needs:
"Regarding further modifications to the 'ink,' if your current control is precise enough, we might be able to try some fusions that we wouldn't have dared to attempt before."

Upon hearing this suggestion, Nari's tentacles began to twitch excitedly:

"Of course! Mom can now compress chaotic power to an even more microscopic level!"

Her tone was full of pride, as if she were showing off her new skill to her beloved child:
"What kind of transformation does your child want? Mom will definitely help you achieve it!"

………………

Inside the laboratory deep within the palace, various sophisticated devices emitted a dim, ethereal light.

Ron removed the "ink" from the specially made culture container.

This loyal assistant has been with him for a long time, gradually growing from a simple cleaner of failed fusions into an important medium for bloodline research.

But a few key steps are still needed before true evolution can take place.

Through a spiritual connection, he could sense the anticipation and tension in "Ink's" heart.

"This renovation will be quite complicated..."

Ron took out an exquisite crystal bottle containing the essence of the preserved bacteria bloodline refined from Franka.

"First, we need to fuse this, and then add Mother's Chaos Blood. The combination of these two powers may be painful. Are you ready?"

"Ink...it doesn't hurt..."

The slime conveys a firm will through a telepathic connection:
"The ink wants...to help its master...more..."

"very good."

He gently stroked the smooth surface of the slime.

The renovation process is divided into three stages.

The first step is to maintain the fusion of the bacterial lineage.

This special bloodline from Franka possesses extremely strong harmonizing properties, enabling bloodlines of different races to coexist harmoniously.

Ron carefully injected the essence of his bloodline into the core area of ​​the "ink".

The moment the liquid came into contact with the slime, the entire experimental area began to resonate slightly.

The body of "Ink" began to undergo miraculous changes.

The original single black began to layer, presenting a gradient color from deep black to light gold.

"The strain's lineage is reconstructing its gene expression..."

Ron carefully observed the process of change, silently assessing the progress of the fusion:
"The harmonizing properties are beginning to activate, thus providing a buffer for the next step of chaotic fusion..."

The second stage is the most dangerous—the fusion of the blood of chaos.

"Mom, this step requires you to reduce the concentration of the Chaos Blood to one-thousandth before separating and purifying it."

Nari's tiny tentacle immediately reached towards the experimental table, and a drop of blood, as brilliant as liquid starlight, began to secrete from its tip.

Under her control, the destructiveness in the blood was minimized, but the core characteristics of chaos were perfectly preserved.

"Mom has minimized the violence..."

Nari carefully regulated the energy density of his blood:

"Even so, this level of integration remains extremely dangerous. Are you sure you want to continue?"

"Now that we've come this far, of course we should continue."

Ron used a special straw to draw out the drop of chaotic blood, his fingers trembling slightly as he approached this power.

Even after being extremely diluted, the blood still exuded a terrifying pressure that distorted space.

"Ink, now we begin the most crucial step. Remember, no matter how painful it is, you must maintain a clear core consciousness."

He slowly dripped the Chaos Blood into the slime monster's body, precisely into the fusion center that the strain's bloodline had just modified.

The moment the blood came into contact with the laboratory, the entire laboratory shook violently, as if an earthquake had struck.

The "ink" emitted painful mental fluctuations, and its entire body churned like boiling liquid.

The originally stable surface began to show all sorts of strange patterns and textures, each representing a possible direction of evolution.

Through the mental connection, Ron was able to clearly feel the immense pain that "Ink" was enduring.

That is the pain of having the essence of life forcibly rewritten, the torment of having the foundation of existence violently altered.

"Hold on, ink!"

He conveyed encouragement and support to the slime through his mental power, while also helping to regulate it through the "Bloodline Shaping" skill.

Sure enough, under the regulation of the bacterial bloodline, the conflict between the different forces began to stabilize.

Two forces that should have been mutually exclusive found a delicate balance within the "ink".

When the last energy fluctuation subsided, the slime's appearance underwent a fundamental change.

Tiny specks began to appear on the surface of the "ink".

These stars change their brightness and color according to the energy changes in the surrounding environment, as if a miniature starry sky is flowing within them.

Inside, various colored energy patterns flow, each pulsating rhythmically.

"Master...the ink feels...very special..."

The slime's consciousness sent a faint but clear response:

"So many different forces... They no longer hurt each other... and the ink thinks... it can help them become friends..."

Ron immediately activated "Superhuman Recognition" for in-depth detection, and the results surprised him greatly.

The bloodline conflicts within "Ink" caused by the various bloodline experiments over this period have completely disappeared.

Different bloodline characteristics can not only coexist harmoniously, but even begin to produce synergistic effects.

[Bloodline Shaping (Proficient) Experience Points +1]

Breakthrough! Bloodline Shaping (Proficiency 100/100) → Bloodline Shaping (Mastery 1/300)

[Gain the advanced trait "Life Optimization":]
The probability of achieving better results is greatly increased when blood circulation is harmonized.

This breakthrough came at just the right time.

(End of this chapter)