"Let's talk as we head to the office," Lynn suggested, and the sheriff nodded in agreement.
They exited the dormitory building, and as they walked, Lynn began to delve into a profound and intricate explanation of his speculations and suggestions, sharing the thoughts that had occupied his mind.
He painted a vivid picture with his words, weaving together fragments of information and connecting the dots of his theories.
As Lynn's reasoning progressed, the sheriff's reactions mirrored Lynn's expectations. Sheriff Cooper's brows furrowed, a mixture of surprise and concern etched across his face. He listened intently, occasionally interjecting with questions or seeking clarifications.
Then, when Lynn reached the crux of his explanation—a three-day interval that could potentially be caused by some kind of ritual, the sheriff couldn't hold his voice anymore.
"The three-day interval will increase the power of those monsters?" Cooper exclaimed, his voice laced with disbelief and a hint of dread. The implications of Lynn's theory were far-reaching and unsettling. It meant that their next encounter with the creatures could potentially be even more dangerous than before.
At that moment, the sheriff's expression became more solemn than ever. As the person involved, he understood all too well the dire consequences if the creatures were to gain strength.
"It's just speculation for now," Lynn cautioned, sensing the gravity of the situation. "Impossible to know for certain. But I figured I should mention it."
The sheriff nodded slowly, a grave look in his eyes. "I appreciate you raising this notion," he said seriously. "Even if it's just a possibility, we can't afford to be caught off guard. We must be proactive and take every precaution necessary."
Sheriff Cooper took a deep breath, standing silently in front of the headquarters door as his mind raced with thoughts, contemplating the unsettling prospect of an evolving threat.
Finally, he met Lynn's gaze, determination etched on his face.
"I'll start increasing patrols right away," the sheriff declared decisively. "We need to bolster our numbers and arm ourselves with the best possible weapons. If another attack comes, we'll be as prepared as possible."
As the sheriff turned to hurry off and begin making arrangements, Lynn called out, halting him. Cooper paused, looking back attentively as Lynn continued.
"One more thing. Those creatures may be monsters, but it's clear they are living beings like any other," Lynn remarked, his voice thoughtful. "Which means they require sustenance and rest."
The sheriff's eyes lit up, catching on to Lynn's implication. He nodded in agreement, his mind racing with possibilities.
"A place that wants to house some monsters without being noticed by others has to be hidden, and that's hard to find," Lynn continued. "But food doesn't come out of thin air."
Sheriff Cooper's eyes lit up, catching on to Lynn's implication. "You're right," he said, a spark of realization in his voice "For them to remain hidden there, they need access to substantial food sources."
Lynn nodded, his expression serious. "Exactly. See if there have been any recent spikes in meat or crop purchases by shady individuals. And scout lesser-known structures that could be used as a lair."
"Of course!" the sheriff exclaimed, his determination growing. "We'll concentrate our searches on locating their food source and nest."
"Leave it to me!" Cooper said, his voice filled with confidence and resolve.
Invigorated by this new potential lead, he hurried in the door, determined to mobilize his team and pursue the investigation.
An excitement like no other appeared on his face. He had finally found a breakthrough, a tangible lead to follow. In the beginning, when facing these monsters, he had been influenced by the legendary and folkloric stories in his mind, rendering him unable to judge the situation objectively and take action.
But now, armed with the insight provided by Lynn, he had a direction to pursue. Lynn watched the sheriff depart with a small smile as a spark of hope and determination had been reignited within him.
With the sheriff mobilizing his forces, Lynn pondered his next move. There were still a few hours before sunset, and he intended to use that time wisely.
First on his agenda was to examine the remains of the bell tower creature. The corpse of this creature could hold crucial clues. Lynn had many unconfirmed theories and questions about these monsters.
He hoped that perhaps through a meticulous side-by-side comparison with the smiling monster encountered the previous night, he could have responses to some of them.
Soon enough, Lynn reached the previously hastily converted room into a makeshift autopsy room, where the first monster's dissected corpse still lay. Pushing open the door, Lynn was met with the now-familiar, morbid sight.
Just as he had left it, the lifeless body of the creature, having been meticulously dissected, remained motionless on the table, internal anatomy exposed.
What struck Lynn as particularly special was the remarkably minimal, if not nonexistent, signs of decomposition in the creature despite several hours having passed since he last laid eyes on it.
"Extraordinary biology indeed," Lynn remarked. He slowly collected the dissected corpse and placed it into his inventory. It might be useful someday.
As he cleared and cleaned the table, his focus shifted to a pair of paper bags resting beside it. These particular bags held the remains of the bell monster.
Taking hold of them, he carefully emptied their contents onto the table's surface, revealing a grisly sight. The table became a macabre display of torn flesh and scattered organs, a stark reminder of the brutal damage inflicted upon the creature during the confrontation.
Once a menacing and formidable entity, the bell monster's body had been destroyed beyond recognition. Its form was now a grotesque collage of mangled flesh and shattered anatomy. However, amidst the carnage, a few of its tentacles remained relatively intact, offering a glimpse into the creature's former complexity.
Lynn frowned in disappointment. "There's nothing to dissect, and this pulverized state would make any detailed analysis virtually impossible," he muttered.
He stared pensively at the mangled remains strewn across the table. An idea popped into his mind. "Maybe I could do the opposite operation - a reconstruction procedure to gain some experience," Lynn speculated aloud.
Dissection refers to the process of separating or cutting apart an organism into its individual components for the purpose of analysis. On the other hand, a reconstruction procedure involves reassembling those components to restore the organism to its original form.
"It's definitely worth a try," Lynn decided.
He grabbed the necessary tools from his inventory and started the meticulous reconstruction procedure. Using his keen senses, Lynn sorted through the shredded flesh, carefully selecting pieces that seemed to originate from the same part of the creature's anatomy based on color, texture, thickness, and other distinguishing characteristics.
It was like working on an impossibly complex three-dimensional puzzle, requiring tremendous focus and attention to detail. Piece by piece, Lynn assembled the fragments, utilizing his surgical threads to delicately hold everything in place as he worked.
Several times throughout the process, frustration threatened to overwhelm him. The creature's flesh was so badly mutilated that finding connecting pieces felt akin to searching for needles in a haystack. However, Lynn persevered, not willing to abandon the task.
Gradually, under Lynn's steady hands, the incomprehensible pile of viscera began taking a more defined shape. After nearly one hour of intense work, the creature's basic form started to emerge.