Unlike Researcher Yang’s lab, which is located far from the main street, Researcher Ke’s quarter is smaller but easier to locate. It was on the third street, a place that Anji passed by yesterday without knowing.
Compared to Researcher Yan’s neglected quarters, Researcher Ke’s lab was rather neat, even though many things were around. Someone must have been taking care of it.
Remaining silent behind Researcher Yang, who greeted Researcher Ke, Anji observed her poor complexion. At first glance, Anji could already tell how much the talented young researcher neglected her health while working on her project.
Point-to-point teleportation was a spell that employed very advanced techniques. Anji was still studying how to determine a location using the grid method. However, applying this calculation was tricky, and nobody ever succeeded because reality often differed according to the terrain. Predicting a point-to-point teleportation location was impossible without fixing the start and end locations with pre-written coordinates on talismans. It was how portals were first created. The future failures eventually led to teleportation scrolls being widely used in the murim world by rich cultivators in emergencies. These scrolls were very expensive despite teleporting the user to a random location, which could be bad. However, it was better than teleporting the user to a random location with half their body in the ground. At least, the present teleportation talisman created ensured survival.
"Anji, this is Researcher Ke, the only person in this sect working on advanced time-space spells. She might be able to help you with your studies and what you were struggling with," Researcher Yang finally introduced her, and Anji quickly bowed.
Exchanging a curt greeting, Researcher Ke yelled for someone called Hu, and Anji saw a short man with dark circles around his eyes, which was worse than Researcher Ke’s. The panda-like man introduced himself as Assistant Hu and greeted Anji with a friendly smile despite his fatigue. He exchanged greetings with Researcher Yang, who entrusted Anji in their hands before leaving and wished Anji all the best. Anji felt slightly uncertain about the ill-tempered researcher lady and her half-dead assistant. However, their hospitality was slightly better than what happened yesterday.
Once Researcher Yang was out of sight, Researcher Ke’s remaining cordial treatment vanished. Anji stiffened a little when she glared at her. Behind her, the short and thin man with panda-like eyes quickly stood in front of Anji, laughing to diffuse the situation and asked if Researcher Ke wanted some breakfast.
Clicking her tongue, the lady researcher pointed her index finger at Anji’s nose, uncaring if the gesture was rude.
"You! If it were not for Researcher Yang, I would never have accepted this babysitting request. I don’t need you to do any chores, but I won’t stop you from doing them if you want. The books are in the library. Hu will show them to you. But you must put them back where you found them. Do not touch any experiments without setup, or I will kick you out immediately. Understood?"
Nodding quickly, Anji promised not to cause trouble. However, Researcher Ke remained unconvinced.
"One last thing," she growled, finally removing her index finger from in front of Anji’s nose. "Do not disturb me. I hate children. I don’t know how you got into this sect when you’re still teething, but if you start whining, crying and throwing a fit, I will kick you out immediately. Understood?"
Getting the hint, Anji quickly nodded. However, she also pulled out a talisman from her inner sleeve pocket, offering it to Researcher Ke.
"This is a sound-cancelling talisman I made," she quickly explained. "I’m sorry if I make any noise that would disturb you today. Please accept this as a token of compensation from me!"
Sound-cancelling talisman? Although the researchers had barriers around their compound that cancelled noises and unauthorised personnel, she had never seen a spell that only negates sound from outside. The barrier simply contains sound inside it, not negating the sound outside it.
Accepting the token of compensation and slightly curious about what a young child could do, Researcher Ke studied the spell. At first glance, it appeared simple. However, the learned woman quickly realised the skills it took for Anji to write it. Whoever Anji’s teacher was, they had to be at least at the level of a senior researcher like her late teacher.
"Hu, you’re in charge of babysitting her today. Get me lunch today. You can bring the baby there while you’re at it and eat something, for heaven’s sake! How will you carry my models when you’re as thin as a stick? Even bamboo is stronger than you! Get some meat!"
Storming off with Anji’s sound-cancelling talisman, Assistant Hu and Anji stood blinking where they were, unable to understand Researcher Ke’s hot and cold temper.
"Don’t worry," Assistant Hu chuckled. "She’s been ever since we were young. Although she has a sharp tongue, she’s not a bad person. The passing of her teacher has put a lot of pressure on her shoulders. The research that she is doing about point-to-point teleportation is something our late teacher was doing before he passed on. For Keke and I, he was like a grandfather we never had. Keke joined the sect a few years earlier than I did. She was his last disciple. I was still in training as an apprentice when he passed, but she has become more short-tempered and foul-mouthed ever since then. All the other assistants applied to be transferred to a different researcher because of her temper, so it’s just the two of us. I hope you don’t mind the messiness. This place is too huge for me to manage alone while assisting Keke with her research work." ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by novelꜰire.net
Hearing such a deep back story at the front door of the lab, Anji wondered if her time with this lab would go smoothly. As far as Anji could see, the compound was well-maintained. It was not spotless, but everything was well-organised and clean. Researcher Yang’s place had rotting food while the pantry was kept clean. If anything, it was empty. The difference was like heaven and hell already.
"There will be three of us today," Anji smiled at the small man. "I came prepared to do my part."
Pulling out all the spare chore-related talismans she had prepared, Anji gave the assistant a thumbs-up. Having two hands working on the chores with the help of the talismans would be faster than doing them manually alone.