Jayce stepped back, his expression tinged with fear. "What... what is this thing?!"
In contrast to his panic, Viktor, Narek, and Ceryn moved closer to Zac.
"What a genius it takes to create such a unique life form!" Viktor exclaimed, eyes widened.
Attempting to approach Zac, who Jayce had grabbed, Viktor was halted. "Have you gone mad, Viktor? That's a monster!"
"He clearly has intelligence, Jayce."
Viktor, annoyed by Jayce's negative demeanor, found today's Jayce particularly unpleasant.
"If it's an intelligent being that can communicate with us, why classify him as a monster?" Ceryn questioned.
Seemingly affected by Jayce and Viktor's negativity, Zac's facial expression became somewhat gloomy.
His eyes, without pupils, in shades of yellow and green, slightly lowered, and the whip-like tendrils on his head drooped weakly.
"Do you not like Zac?" Zac blinked his pitiful eyes.
Noticing Narek and Ceryn approaching, his legs dissolved, turning into a viscous liquid, matching their height.
"You... are my... parents..."
Zac's speech was a bit stuttered, not quite accustomed to speaking like a normal person, despite Narek and Ceryn teaching him human anatomy.
"Of course, Zac, you are our child!"
Ceryn, with tears in her eyes, removed her face mask, pounced forward, and tightly embraced the few hundred pounds heavy "child."
"You are certainly not disliked, Zach; you still have us."
Narek also removed his face mask, his eyes slightly red as he embraced Zac along with his wife.
Although Zac, born from the accumulation of alchemical toxins, had a consciousness, he had completely changed his nature and would not harm anyone.
"Dad, Mom..." Zach vibrated his throat, his yellow-green eyes squinting, and his elastic arms gently encircled their backs.
That large and somewhat ferocious mouth of his twitched slightly, revealing a hint of a smile.
Compared to negative emotions, Narek and Ceryn, as his adoptive parents, had a greater influence on him.
"What a heartwarming scene, Jayce," Li Lin sighed. "Are you still planning to experiment on this 'child'?"
Jayce's expression was complex, remaining silent.
In fact, when Zach, in human form, spoke the words "Zac is not a monster," Jayce abandoned the idea of experimenting on him.
Viktor felt the same way; he even teared up slightly due to empathy.
After Narek, Ceryn, and Zac enjoyed their tender moment and suppressed their emotions, Viktor turned to Li Lin and Jayce.
"Now, what should we do next?"
"Well, this experiment is definitely off the table," Jayce sighed. "I can't experiment on a sentient being with free will."
"Ask for their wishes," Li Lin suggested.
Li Lin, Jayce, and Viktor all turned their gaze to the couple and Zac before them.
"We..." Ceryn hesitated, looking at her husband Narek.
To find out where Zac was taken, they had almost exhausted their meager savings.
Even if they were returned to Zaun, with no money, no job, and their place of work sealed, they had nowhere to go.
"If you want to stay in Piltover, I can provide funds to buy you a house in the northern district and try to apply for a job for you with the academy... Of course, Zac may not be able to show himself in public."
Li Lin presented conditions that deeply moved the couple.
Nalek pondered for a moment, gracefully declining Li Lin's kindness. "Thank you for your generosity, but what you propose is truly invaluable. We feel undeserving..."
He paused for a moment, his calloused rough hands clasping with Ceryn's. "Let's return to Zaun."
"Alright, but you can go to the lanes, visit The Last Drop, and look for the owner there, a man named Vander. He's a robust middle-aged man with a thick beard."
"We have a good relationship, and he can provide you with a place to stay and work. Consider it our compensation for taking Zac from you—I hope you don't refuse."
Narek maintained a silent conflict in his expression.
On one hand, they had reached a point of desperation. Before finding new employment, they needed some money to tide over their current challenges. Yet, Li Lin had resolved today's dilemma for them, and Nalek hesitated to accept more of his kindness.
"Debts should be repaid," he finally uttered.
At this moment, Zac carefully reshaped his legs.
To Nalek and Sheryl's surprise, Zac, with his newly formed limbs, walked cautiously towards Li Lin.
"Zac, repay the favor to Mom and Dad," he said, inflating his body with air, causing his arm to swell like an inflated balloon. Zack gritted his teeth, and with a painful cry, his right arm burst into several pieces of sticky fragments, splattering on the ground.
"Zac!" Nalek and Sheryl exclaimed in anguish at their child's unexpected act.
"I'm... fine..." Zack shook his head like a tambourine, his tendrils swaying on top.
Then, Zack's form shrank a bit, creating a new arm. He gathered the sticky fragments from the ground and handed them to Li Lin.
"What are you..." Li Lin raised an eyebrow, not understanding his intention.
Based on the background story, every part separated from Zack contained a portion of his consciousness. In simpler terms, if he split, he severed a part of his consciousness. Any sensation felt by the separated part would affect his main body.
"You're a psychic amalgamation. If I'm not mistaken, this sticky substance should connect to your nerves, right? And won't you get smaller the more you do this?" Li Lin inquired.
"No worries. I can split and grow back, as long as there's enough nutrition," Zack explained. "I've detached my consciousness from this sticky substance. You can study it without any concerns."
He handed the green, yet untouched substance to Li Lin, returning to his parents' side.
[Congratulations! You've received Zack's gift!]
[Zack's Active Cell Tissue Fragments: Unconscious cellular tissue separated from the bio-mechanical being, Zac.]
[Attributes (for Zac): 14% Max Health]
[Research Directions: Chemistry, Genetics...]
"I accept your kindness, thank you," Li Lin acknowledged, following the system's prompts. He nodded appreciatively at Zac.
"Alright, the longer you stay here, the higher the risk of being discovered. I'll escort you out," Jayce said to Narek and Ceryn.
With everything arranged, Jayce addressed Narek and Ceryn. "Let me take you out, but this big guy..."
He couldn't help but sigh while holding his forehead. Carrying such a massive vial of alchemical toxin out would be easier to explain to Professor Heimerdinger than to the institute's security personnel, professors, mentors, and students.
Feeling Jayce's conflicted emotions, Zack immediately spoke up, "Jayce, there's a way."
Before Jayce could react, Zack rapidly dissolved, turning into a dark green puddle. Following the laboratory's wall, he climbed up to the ceiling and entered the ventilation duct.
Seeing this, Jayce couldn't help but twitch his mouth.
Beside him, Viktor smiled and expressed his inner thoughts, "This ability is quite practical."
(End of this chapter)
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