Academic gathering with Lich colleagues

"Until that day, the empty room contained only two beings: me and Evangeline. I was a little sleepy, and in the dim light, I finally saw it, I saw her struggle."

“Illaris, whom I always thought was just a tool, reached out a helping hand to me. Like us light bats, the Spinal Wheels are also conscious modified creatures, but they don’t have lips like the light bats and can’t make their own voices.”

"The dark clouds that blinded me have dissipated, and I have finally seen through the ugly truth."

"These liches are abusing their creations!"

“My poor Ilya, naked as a doll, was laid out on the cold laboratory table by these wicked skeletons. They wantonly played with her body, destroying and ravaging it, tearing and stitching it up like a child’s game, completely disregarding her cries and blood. I saw it all!”

The poison umbrella covered its little eyes with its wings and cried.

“My poor Isa, every night she stretches out her limbs to me, begging me to save her, but I can’t, I’m too weak, I’m not worthy to take her away. I gave her some food and comforted her.”

"She's a good girl; she accepted my comfort and expressed her gratitude..."

"Her optimism and the guilt in my heart tormented me day by day. Finally, I fell in love with her, with her broad spine, her tender body, her dependence on me, and her endless requests every night."

"We, this ill-fated couple, find joy amidst our suffering. My heart bleeds as I watch Ira endure daily torment."

"But there is still a most depraved, most vile and perverted lich tormenting her."

"He actually! He actually!"

"Desecrating my goddess with those tentacles day and night!"

"Tentacles?" "Tentacles?" "Tentacles?" "Tentacles?"

The four members of the figure club spoke in unison, and their gazes converged on one spot.

Nia emerged from the shadows behind Lyle, scratching her little head with her tentacles, her big eyes filled with utter bewilderment.

"tentacle?"

Lyle's heart skipped a beat as he met the bloodshot, hateful gaze of the poison umbrella.

"That's right, Your Honor! I'm suing the president of the Necromancer Figure Company! Also known as Mr. Plague Doctor, he... he's rotten to the core! He... he toyed with my lover!"

Deng Deng Deng!

Holy crap, the defendant sued the defendant's lawyer! What a miserable situation!

Lyle was stunned.

With a flash, he took an Oliva from his pocket and threw it on the ground, pretending to be surprised that he had dropped his money.

"Boss! You...you...you...I never imagined you were such a shameless lich! You, you are a disgrace to Andrei!"

Mr. Flexibility clutched his ribs with one hand, looked pained, and knelt down shakily.

"I misjudged you, Plague Doctor! You actually toyed with another man's woman! My heart is aching so badly, it's like I'm coming back to life! You are the worst lich in Andrei! Waaah, how could I follow such a heartless and inhuman lich!"

Poison Umbrella immediately chimed in, "That's right! Compared to Andrei's best lich dragon, the Plague Doctor, the most vicious person there is like the difference between an angel and a demon!"

To be honest, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Mr. Dragon is an angel in the eyes of Lightbat.

He patted the light bat and showed both hands to Lyle.

"The Plague Doctor is the Dragon Master's student, and his most beloved one."

The poison umbrella looked astonished.

"This... why would such an excellent Mr. Dragon... teach a student like you! You are a disgrace to Mr. Dragon!"

Lyle wanted to kill those three guys who were having too much fun.

How did I get dragged into this? Is this what it means to be abandoned by everyone? I'm innocent!

No, I still have Nia.

Before Lyle could speak, Nia automatically left Lyle's back, glided over to Shining and the others, and covered her face with her tentacles.

“It’s not Nia’s fault. It was the doctor who forced me to do it. Nia is a good girl.”

"The epidemic doctor is a bad guy, a really bad guy!"

"..." Lyle's face turned pale and then red under his mask.

Once I am exonerated, I will kill you all, not even leaving your ashes.

Chapter 295 The Tree Stands Out in the Forest

The judge struck his gavel.

"Mr. Poison Umbrella, your complaint is only your side of the story, and it uses too much exaggerated embellishment. It seems you don't quite understand the meaning of objectivity. As for my new defendant, Mr. Epidemic Doctor, you can state the facts and provide evidence to refute Poison Umbrella's point of view. Of course, you also need to understand the legal basis for Mr. Poison Umbrella's accusation against you."

"Your Honor, what rules have I broken?"

"The Law for the Protection of Modified Creatures." The judge handed Lyle a roll of parchment. As the ribbon was untied, a piece of leather more than a meter long rolled to the ground, with the words "Law for the Protection of Modified Creatures" written on it. The characters on the paper emitted a cold, white light, carrying a deadly magic.

"Spiritualism?"

That makes sense. Most works of biological modification are products of spiritualism, and drafting corresponding laws naturally requires consulting relevant experts. Relevant experts?

With a bad feeling, Lyle began to read the entries.

"Any form of subjective deception or inducement, with any intention or purpose, against a self-aware, modified creature shall be punishable by death."

"For any physical or spiritual modification of a self-aware creature, whether beneficial or detrimental, without the permission of the creature itself, the death penalty shall apply."

"The above rules still apply to modified creations that possess self-awareness, even if they lack the ability to express or communicate."

"..."

What followed were all similar words, similar rules, and... the same... death penalty.

Even if the body tissues of a modified organism detach abnormally, if you notice this situation and fail to report it to the relevant repair/medical personnel, it's a death sentence.

Finally, Lyle saw the last one.

"If the person who violates the above laws is a student of the Andrei Academy's Spirit Spelling Department, they can apply for a modification of the punishment..."

Lyle has finally found a clue that works in his favor. Is this the advantage of us necromancy students?

"An application may be made to change the death penalty to... permanent transformation into a modified organism. This punishment shall be carried out by the individual himself."

"Andre College, Professor of Bone Consecration, written by the Dragon."

Lyle's vision went completely dark. "Teacher, are you trying to kill me?"

Faced with Lyle's blank stare, the judge gave an answer.

"Having Professor Ling write a law book is indeed a novel attempt for our executive committee. However, since Mr. Dragon has not studied law, there are indeed some flaws in the rules he has compiled..."

Lyle looked at the judge with expectant eyes.

"The death penalty is far too lenient a punishment."

Too light? This is too light?

Upon hearing the verdict, Shanliang and the others nodded in agreement.

"The judge is right. The punishment of death is too lenient. Isn't this encouraging lawbreaking? Although it's terrifying to have the dragon make the changes, is this targeting us?"

“The death penalty is far too lenient. We necromancers must protest against this discrimination and suggest that we all be reformed.”

No, that's a death sentence!

Lyle snapped out of his daze. For a lich, the death penalty might not be so serious. For a lich, beheading, hanging, burning—these acts of execution were merely formalities. So, the death penalty really meant nothing… Yeah, right! Now it was me who was being punished, and I would truly die! What Shining and the others considered a light punishment was a mountain to me. It was practically crossing my very line!

Lyle began searching for ways to avoid becoming a dragon's masterpiece, and through careful study, he did find some key clues.

"Your Honor, the prerequisite for these rules to be implemented is [a modified organism with self-awareness]..."

The judges lined up their hands in agreement.

"Yes, Mr. Plague Doctor, this is the key to this incident. Does your Spinal Wheel possess self-awareness? This is why I invited you here. If it lacks consciousness and is merely a 'tool' you created, then I will sentence Mr. Poison Umbrella for damaging the property of your Necromancer Figurine Company. If it is determined to possess consciousness, I'm very sorry, but I will inform your mentor..."

This is an opportunity; as long as Lyle insists on the nature of the Spinal Wheel, he can continue to live.

“Because now, Mr. Plague Doctor, you have also become a participant. For the sake of fairness, I will invite a notary with the same knowledge as you to supervise and ensure that your investigation results are absolutely true.” The judge pointed to Shining and the others who had been gesturing on the side, “Mr. Shining and the others seem very happy to provide this assistance.”

Shining, manipulating, and adapting elicited joyful laughter.

"Don't worry, Plague Doctor. We will definitely uphold the truth. Also, as Andrei's lich, if you haven't been modified, are you still a necromancer? I hope you cherish this opportunity and make up for your regrets."

Those three bastards are probably just waiting to kill me.

The judge began his questioning.

"Then, Mr. Manipulator, who also participated in the creation of the Spinal Wheel by the Plague Doctor, I hope you will answer my question in this way: Does the Spinal Wheel truly possess consciousness?"

The manipulation quickly responded.

"According to the basic principles of spirit possession, the skeleton forms the torso, and the flesh forms the links. These two can switch between each other or even exist independently. However, the soul governs consciousness. The soul is indispensable. I can answer definitively that there is no material input of the soul in the construction of the spinal wheel. We have only created a 'device' that can be driven."

Well done, manipulation, that's how I'm now a suspect...

"However, this is merely our understanding—my understanding, Shining's understanding, and our understanding of compromise. As the creator of the Wheel of the Spine, the Plague Doctor, a genius in necromancy, we are unaware of the current progress of his research. If a necromancy student in my year claimed to be able to create souls right now, I would smash his skull with my bone staff. But if that person is the Plague Doctor… I would reserve my opinion. A necromancy master favored by all the professors and always completing his studies flawlessly, if his Wheel of the Spine possesses an independent soul, I would believe it…"

So... Lyle's excellence led to his downfall? Being too excellent is also a mistake?

“I see, so it has gone beyond the norm.” The judge pondered for a few seconds. “Then we will have to invite the victim to confront him on the spot. Who among you will go and bring back that plague doctor’s special spinal wheel? Bring it back in a gentlemanly and gentle manner. By the way, does she have a name?”

"Icarus!" Poison Umbrella shouted.

"Spine Wheel No. 357, this is the number assigned by the Plague Doctor."

"Alright, Mr. Manipulator, please bring number 357 over here."

Lyle racked his brain, trying to recall the unusual spinal wheel. He thought and thought… there was nothing unusual. He had created nearly a hundred spinal wheels, and none of them were unusual or special; none had left an impression on his mind. The only things he remembered were Nia's complaints about being fed a few times during the creation process.

There shouldn't be any problems. Could it be that something unexpected happened afterward that I'm unaware of? If so, I'd be so wronged!

Lyle looked at the shiny report.

"How exactly did the poison umbrella damage the Spinal Wheel?"

Poison Umbrella shouted, "That wasn't harm. I just gave Elena some of our tokens of love."

Shiny flapped its wings, gripping the poison umbrella, in the air, silencing his scream.

"The members of Maintenance 357 found some foreign objects inside the Spine Wheel, hundreds of walnuts."

"That's our Lightbat tradition, and I won't allow you to describe it as something foreign!"