Chapter 22: The Morent Nature Journal

The flames persisted for over ten minutes. Charles cut some branches, soaked them in water, and used them to beat down the fire until it was extinguished, leaving him somewhat breathless from exertion.

He rested for a moment, then approached the concealed black wooden panel and pried it open with a long stick. Contrary to his expectations, no traps or hidden devices appeared.

In fact, this underground entrance was shrouded by a layer that blocked spiritual light; ordinary people could never notice anything unusual here, not even the vine-totem creatures. Still, Charles remained cautious and had the little white fox catch a rabbit, tossing it inside to lead the way.

Once freed, the wild rabbit darted about in panic. After waiting a while and ensuring there was no danger, Charles finally stepped inside.

The use of spiritual arts required a trace of mental strength left behind by a life spirit master. Once the master died, this power quickly faded, diminishing its effectiveness.

Upon entering, Charles was surprised to find no treasure—there wasn’t even the runic factory he so desperately desired. Instead, the room was lined with shelves filled with handwritten and printed volumes.

Sunlight slanted into the basement, providing a faint glow. Charles took the flint from the table and lit an oil lamp, casting warm yellow light throughout the underground space.

The basement was not damp; instead, a dry current of air circulated within it.

At the center stood a massive stone table, three meters long and two meters wide. In its liquid bath, a corpse reminiscent of a black forest wolf was submerged. Its fur had been stripped and cut to shreds, exposing the organs within, but despite the uric acid odor of the liquid, there was no sign of decay.

Beside the dissection table lay a handwritten volume. Suppressing the stinging smell, Charles picked it up and opened it: “Dire Wolf, Animalia—Beasts—Canidae. Characteristics: Slow movement, immense strength, astonishing bite force, adept at concealing its body, feeds primarily on corpses, sense of smell superior to forest wolves but inferior to ice wolves.”

Beneath this were dense records of various data, classified meticulously: heartbeat, brain capacity, vision, sense of smell—all akin to real-life anatomical experiment records.

“This could be considered the work of a biological scientist!” Charles exclaimed, surveying the surroundings. Hundreds of handwritten volumes documented an immense trove of anatomical experiments.

However, when he tur