Polymath Tower

In the evening, Margaret returned.

"I have a favor to ask of you."

Lu Yuan looked up.

"The medical room at the Polymath Tower is short on a few types of medicinal herbs. We were supposed to deliver them," Margaret said. "But I can't leave my post right now. Could you make the trip tomorrow? You could take the opportunity to look around the Polymath Tower while you're at it. Don't you want to study there?"

Lu Yuan nodded.

"No problem."

"Good." Margaret handed him a list and a silver badge. "This badge will get you into the outer perimeter of the Polymath Tower. Once you're there, just find the staff at the medical room to handle the handover."

She paused for a moment.

"Go and come back quickly. Don't linger there too long; it hasn't been peaceful lately."

Lu Yuan took the list and the badge.

"Understood."

Margaret turned and left.

Lu Yuan looked at the badge in his hand.

A legitimate reason.

He didn't even have to find an excuse; it was just too coincidental.

He sighed.

However, it aligned with his own intentions, so it didn't matter.

Lu Yuan put the badge away and continued organizing the medicinal herbs.

Night fell.

Lu Yuan returned to his dormitory and sat on the edge of the bed.

Outside the window, the moon rose, and the runes on the walls of the Bronze City began to glow.

A faint blue light enveloped the walls and the sky. It seemed one could go out at night here.

'How rare.'

Lu Yuan organized the information he had gathered today.

The disappearance cases: Alchemy Department students, disappeared at night, no signs of a struggle, as if they walked out on their own.

The attacker: fast, strong, with a strange smell of rot.

The intervals were getting shorter; the next one might happen soon.

He had to confirm Laurina's situation as soon as possible.

Lu Yuan pulled the revolver from his coat and checked the bullets.

Six rounds, full.

The Timekeeper pocket watch at his chest was slightly warm.

It could be activated at any time.

He tucked the letter away, leaned against the wall, and closed his eyes.

Tomorrow, he would go to the Polymath Tower.

...

In the early morning, sunlight slanted through the windows of the Logistics Department, casting golden spots of light on the floor.

【Sanity: 104/120 (Total)】

Lu Yuan stood at the door with a cloth bag full of herbs on his back, adjusting the shoulder strap.

Margaret handed him a list while reminding him, "These herbs are urgently needed by the Polymath Tower medical room, especially the heart-calming grass and sedatives; the consumption has been particularly high lately."

She paused, lowered her voice, and glanced around. "I heard quite a few things have happened over in the Alchemy Department. Many students are in a poor mental state and come to collect medicine every day. When you get there, be careful, don't ask too many questions, and return as soon as the handover is finished."

Lu Yuan nodded slightly after listening and carefully folded the list into his coat.

"Understood."

Margaret looked at him, her lips moving as if she wanted to say more, but she eventually just waved her hand. "Go and come back quickly."

Lu Yuan walked out of the Nightwatchers base, the morning breeze brushing against his face with a hint of coolness.

The base was on the east side of the inner city, while the Polymath Tower was to the northwest. It was at least an hour's walk.

He hailed a public carriage at the entrance of the base.

"To the Polymath Tower."

The driver glanced at him, saw the Nightwatchers badge on his chest, nodded respectfully, and cracked the whip.

The carriage entered the main thoroughfare of the inner city.

The roads were wide and clean, flanked by tall stone buildings adorned with exquisite carvings.

Private carriages of nobles passed by from time to time, their wheels rolling over the stone pavement with a heavy, rhythmic thud.

The shops along the road hung ornate signs, their display windows filled with expensive alchemical products, magical tools, imported spices, and silks.

Pedestrians were dressed meticulously and acted with elegance, conversing in small groups on the street corners.

However, Lu Yuan noticed that there were even more Nightwatchers on the street than yesterday.

They patrolled in small groups, their eyes vigilant as if searching for something, their hands always resting on the weapons at their waists.

The carriage stopped briefly at the boundary between the inner and outer city, where Nightwatchers had set up a checkpoint.

Lu Yuan pulled the badge from his coat and handed it to the inspecting Nightwatchers, passing through smoothly.

He took back the badge, pinned it to his chest again, and leaned back in the carriage, resting his eyes.

After swaying along for some time, the carriage slowly stopped at the plaza in front of the Polymath Tower.

Lu Yuan paid the fare, hopped off the carriage, and looked up at the building before him.

It was a massive complex composed of seven towers. The central main tower was the tallest, standing dozens of meters high, its spire pointing toward the sky as if to pierce the clouds.

The towers were made of white marble, shimmering with a soft luster in the sunlight.

The walls were covered in runes and patterns; some were decorative, while others faintly emitted magical fluctuations that made one hesitate to look directly at them.

The towers were connected by skybridges, like a giant spiderweb linking the entire complex together.

People were coming and going in the plaza, mostly students in academic robes, along with some nobles and merchants in fine clothing, all walking briskly.

A faint scent of medicinal herbs and ink permeated the air, mixed with a certain indescribable smell.

'This place is suitable for learning.'

Lu Yuan took a deep breath and stepped toward the entrance.

Passing through the tall archway, Lu Yuan entered the interior of the Polymath Tower.

The corridors were spacious and bright, with rows of blue-hued glass windows set into the walls.

Sunlight passed through the glass, casting a dreamlike blue shadow and projecting shifting spots of light on the floor.

Fine dust motes floated in the air.

On both sides of the corridor hung portraits of past scholars, their gazes seemingly watching everyone who passed by.

Lu Yuan walked down the corridor, the sound of his footsteps echoing in the empty space.

Occasionally, students would rush past, clutching thick books, their expressions focused.

The runes on the walls flickered with light from time to time, as if they were breathing.

The medical room was on the west side of the first floor.

Lu Yuan presented his Nightwatchers badge and the list, and a young apprentice guided him inside.

The medical room was large, with a dozen hospital beds and rows of medicine cabinets against the walls, labels neatly affixed to every drawer.

A middle-aged woman in a white robe was organizing herbs. Hearing footsteps, she looked up.

"Nightwatchers delivering medicine?"

"Yes." Lu Yuan placed the cloth bag on the table and took the list from his coat. "The list is here."

The woman took the list and began to verify the herbs one by one, her movements skilled and rapid.

Lu Yuan stood to the side, his gaze discreetly sweeping over the medical room.

Several students were lying on the beds; some were in a deep sleep, while others were groaning softly, tossing and turning.

Their faces were pale, their eyes sunken as if they hadn't rested well in a long time, and their cheekbones protruded sharply.

Lu Yuan asked casually, "Are there many patients lately?"

The woman didn't look up, continuing to count the herbs. "Murderously busy. Most of them are from the Alchemy Department, coming every day to collect heart-calming medicine and sedatives."

She sighed, her tone carrying clear complaint. "I don't know what kind of research they're doing, but their mental states are terrifyingly poor. A few have already been hospitalized, diagnosed with nervous exhaustion."

Lu Yuan's brow furrowed slightly, and his gaze lingered on the hospital beds for a moment.

But there were no text prompts, indicating that they were indeed not contaminated or anything of the sort.

The woman finished counting the herbs, signed the list, and handed it back to Lu Yuan.

"Alright, no problems. You may go."

Lu Yuan took the list and carefully folded it into his coat, but he did not leave immediately.

"Excuse me, where is the dormitory for Alchemy Department students?"

The woman looked up at him, her eyes filled with some suspicion. "Do you have business there? Who are you looking for?"

"A friend," Lu Yuan said calmly. "Laurina."

The woman's expression changed instantly, a flash of surprise and respect in her eyes.

"Laurina... she doesn't live in the dorms. She has her own laboratory on the top floor of the Third Tower."

She paused, then added, "But if you want to find her, it's best to ask in the Alchemy Department public area first. She's often there."

She looked Lu Yuan over and suddenly smiled. "Though you're quite good-looking, I advise you, if you're an admirer of hers, find a better excuse. Otherwise, it'll end badly."

Lu Yuan didn't explain; he only nodded slightly.

Then he left quickly.

Following the directions, he passed through several corridors and arrived at the second floor of the Third Tower.

The corridor leading to the Third Tower was even more magnificent, with the glass windows on both sides inlaid with complex alchemical patterns that refracted seven-colored light as the sun shone through.

The floor was paved with dark stone slabs, each carved with fine runes that faintly emitted fluctuations of magic.

The air was filled with the light scent of herbs, mixed with the smell of metal and sulfur.

This was the public area of the Alchemy Department, containing a library, laboratories, and several lounges.

Occasionally, students passed through the corridor, most of them looking exhausted and walking in a hurry, their gazes unfocused.

Lu Yuan stopped at the entrance of the library and glanced inside.

Several students sat at tables, buried in thick books, their fingers mechanically flipping the pages.

Their eyes were hollow, as if they were forcing themselves to concentrate but were unable to truly engage.

Lu Yuan withdrew his gaze and continued forward.

At the entrance of a laboratory at the end of the corridor, he saw a young girl.

She wore the Alchemy Department uniform—a deep blue robe with silver runes embroidered on the sleeves that shimmered in the light.

Her hair was chestnut-colored, tied casually behind her head, revealing a fair neck.

She was squatting on the floor, organizing a box of experimental equipment with gentle and focused movements.

Lu Yuan walked over, softened his footsteps, and asked softly, "Excuse me, where is Laurina?"

The girl looked up, revealing a clear and delicate face.

Her eyes were light brown, carrying a hint of vigilance as she surveyed the stranger before her.

"I am. Who are you?"

"Lu Yuan." He pulled the letter from his coat and handed it over. "Someone asked me to give this to you."

Laurina looked at the letter in Lu Yuan's hand, startled, a flash of confusion in her eyes.

"Not another admirer, I hope?" she muttered.

But when she saw the style of the envelope, she froze.

The letter looked very old, not something written recently.

She stood up, patted the dust from her hands, took the envelope, and turned it over to look closely.

The envelope was very old, with worn corners, and was addressed to: "Imperial · Polymath Tower · Alchemy Department · Laurina."

The handwriting was neat but somewhat blurred, as if it had been soaked in water, causing the ink to bleed slightly.

Laurina's expression became complicated.