I became a god through archaeology in the Wizarding World.

The morning sunlight streamed through the stained glass windows, casting dappled patterns on the slightly worn oak floors of the history building.

Fine dust particles floated in the air, mixed with the sour smell of ink and parchment.

Rod Griffin stood in front of a heavy mahogany door and straightened his collar.

He was wearing a faded gray linen robe with a few ink stains on the cuffs, looking no different from his usual quiet, timid teaching assistant.

No one could tell from that calm face that just hours before, those hands had smashed a professional killer's sternum and thrown the body into the sewers.

"Thump, thump, thump."

Rod knocked on the door three times rhythmically.

"Come in! The door's unlocked! If that idiot Kane comes to rush us, tell him I'm busy!"

An old but powerful roar came from inside the door, accompanied by the dull thud of books collapsing.

Rod pushed open the door.

This office is less of a workplace and more of a library that has been hit by a hurricane.

The bookshelves were crammed with rickety tomes, and the floor was piled high with scrolls and maps, leaving only a winding path leading to a huge desk deep inside the room.

Behind the desk, an old man with messy hair like a bird's nest and thick-rimmed glasses was hunched over a huge rubbing, holding a magnifying glass and muttering to himself.

This is Professor Isaac, the only mortal tenured professor at the Royal Academy, and also Rhodes' current protector.

Good morning, professor.

Rhodes carefully walked around a pile of "Third Era Clay Studies" on the ground and went to the desk: "Area C of the underground warehouse has been cleared. Here is the inventory list."

He placed the register on the only empty space on the corner of the table.

Professor Isaac suddenly raised his head, his bloodshot eyes flashing with a kind of fanatical light.

He didn't even look at the booklet; instead, he grabbed Rod's arm.

"Rhodes! You're just in time! Forget about those damn broken pots!"

The professor gripped the paper tightly, his fingernails embedded with black ink. "Come and see this! This is a top-secret rubbing I borrowed from the Royal Library, taken from that sealed-off dead-end corridor on the third basement level of the capital!"

Rhodes' heart skipped a beat.

The capital city has three underground levels, which are restricted areas where apprentices are strictly forbidden from entering.

He looked in the direction the professor was pointing.

A huge sheet of parchment was laid on the table, covered with strange writing and reliefs made with charcoal.

These characters, twisted like snakes, are completely different from the wizarding language commonly used today, and are full of a kind of primitive and savage beauty.

Look here!

Professor Isaac pointed to a string of characters that looked like they were made up of countless claw marks, his beard trembling with excitement: "Those arrogant wizards say this is meaningless scribbling by wild beasts, what utter nonsense! This is the language of the pre-magical era! I spent the whole night deciphering these words!"

The professor picked up his quill and wrote a few generic words next to the text: [The enormous…sleeper…the rock’s…heart…]

"What did you figure out, Rhodes?" the professor asked, looking at him expectantly.

Rod squinted.

In the professor's eyes, this was a text that proved the history of ordinary people.

But in Rhodes' eyes, the moment his gaze fell upon those distorted symbols, the "Species Atlas" deep within his mind suddenly trembled slightly.

Those are not ordinary words.

Those are pheromone markers left by some kind of creature, which have solidified into rock textures over thousands of years.

The encyclopedia automatically provided a translation, far more accurate than the professor's clumsy deciphering: [Warning: Ahead lies the dormant zone of the Granite Golem Legion. The core remains active; trespassers will be swallowed by the earth.]

Rhodes' pupils contracted slightly.

Granite Golem!

He had seen illustrations of various creatures in the library, including this half-mechanical, half-flesh creature.

It was a fourth-order magical creature, and its adult form possessed terrifying power comparable to that of a fourth-circle wizard.

If the academy's underground really does contain the remains of such a thing, or even an undying core...

That was not just an academic discovery; it was a huge treasure, but also a bomb that could explode at any moment.

"This seems to be... describing some kind of massive underground structure?"

Rhodes tentatively asked, pretending to struggle to decipher the meaning, "Professor, does the following paragraph mention guards?"

"That's right! Genius! I knew you had talent!"

Professor Isaac slammed his hand on the table, making the ink bottle beside him jump. "I also believe this describes the fortifications of an ancient mortal city-state! The Great Sleeper must refer to some kind of colossal mechanical device! What does this prove? It proves that long before wizards existed, mortals had already mastered the technology to create giant automated machines!"

The professor paced excitedly around the room, waving his arms: "If we can find this relic, if we can dig out that rock heart, that power core, we can give those bloodline theorists a resounding slap in the face! We'll show them that wisdom, not that damned bloodline, is the source of power!"

Rhodes looked at the professor, who had fallen into a frenzy, and sighed inwardly.

The professor guessed half right, but was also wildly wrong.

It was indeed a source of power, but it was by no means a machine of mortals; rather, it was a weapon of war created by ancient wizards using forbidden alchemy and biological modification technology.

If the professor were allowed to dig so openly, what he would likely unearth would not be ordinary glory, but rather utter disaster.

Moreover, the Iron Duke mentioned in last night's secret letter was probably motivated to kill because of the professor's dangerous remarks.

"professor."

Rhodes interrupted the old man's soliloquy, his voice steady: "If this is truly such an important discovery, shouldn't we...keep it a secret?"

"Keep it a secret?" Isaac was taken aback.

"Your previously published paper has already attracted some...unnecessary attention."

Rod glanced meaningfully at the window, where a new pane of glass had just been installed yesterday: "If we make this discovery public now, someone else might beat us to it. After all, the excavation rights are in the hands of the academic affairs office."

This statement struck a nerve with the professor.

Isaac may be fanatical, but he's not stupid.

Having spent his entire life in academia, he knew all too well the ugly faces of those wizarding gentlemen who would steal the fruits of others' labor.

"You're right... Damn it, you're right."

The professor calmed down and pushed up his thick-rimmed glasses: "If that gloomy Mortimer from the Necromancer Department knew, he would definitely seal this place off and declare it a major discovery for the Necromancer Department."

"So we have to do it quietly."

Professor Isaac lowered his voice, like a mischievous old man: "Rhodes, I've applied to the college for a project on the maintenance and historical investigation of the underground drainage system. Ostensibly, it's to repair the sewers, but actually, we're going to find this!"

He pointed heavily to a certain location on the map.

"It's right below the history department building, about two hundred meters deep. There should be a connection point at the end of that dead-end corridor."

Rhodes looked at the coordinates and quickly calculated in his mind.

Two hundred meters deep is a forbidden zone for ordinary people, but for him, who possesses the genes of the Stone-skinned Groundwalker, it's like returning to his home turf.

Moreover, if there really are remnants of granite golems there...

Only if he could extract the genes of the [Granite Golem] and gain some abilities would he truly have the means to protect himself in the academy.

"I am willing to serve you, Professor."

Rhodes bowed slightly, a flawless, loyal assistant-like smile on his face: "For the truth of mortals."

"Good boy! I knew I hadn't misjudged you!"

Isaac patted Rhodes on the shoulder, completely oblivious to the fleeting glint in Rhodes' eyes: "Get ready, we'll go down once this batch of supplies is approved. Oh, and if that idiot Kane gives you trouble again, just throw this in his face."

The professor pulled a piece of parchment from the messy pile of documents, which was stamped with a bright red special approval seal.

"This is my special contribution allowance withdrawal form from the academy. It's not much, but it's enough to shut that snob up. I'll use it to exchange for some better equipment; the underground is very dangerous."

Rod took the form, a complex warmth welling up inside him.

Although this old man was stubborn, crazy, and even a bit dangerous, he was truly sincere towards his assistant.

"Thank you, Professor."

Rod put away the list and turned to walk towards the door.

Just as he grasped the doorknob, Professor Isaac suddenly called out to him.

"Rhodes".

Rhodes turned around.

The professor, his back to him, was looking out the window, his voice low and deep: "Last night... I heard there was some commotion at Blackwood Path. Did you encounter any trouble on your way back?"

Rhodes' fingers tightened slightly, but his tone remained calm: "No, Professor. I think it was probably some stray cat that knocked over the trash can."

"That's good."

The professor turned around, his carefree smile returning to his face: "That's good. Go on, and don't forget to collect your supplies."

Rhodes walked out of the office and gently closed the door.

The corridor was empty, with only the echo of his footsteps.

He touched the allowance slip in his pocket, then touched the black market coin he kept close to his body.

The professor may have sensed something, or he may not. But that doesn't matter.

The important thing is that he has to go to Rat Alley tonight.