Passing through three bank-vault-like heavy steel doors, Murphy led Boris into the underground research facility.
He briefly introduced Boris to the basic situation of the institute and then took him to the twelfth floor, the magical creature laboratory.
The lab was divided into four areas. One of them was currently occupied by the Transfiguration project team. Murphy took Boris there and found Andrew Tuck.
"Andrew, this is the Muggle-turned-vampire I told you about." Murphy introduced Boris briefly, "His name is Boris, and he'll be assisting you with some checks and experiments. You can discuss the specifics."
"Alright, Director!" Andrew, who had become less socially anxious after starting to lead the Transfiguration project team, examined Boris with interest. "This is my first time seeing a real vampire, fantastic! Thank you for your participation, Mr. Boris, looking forward to working with you."
After arranging things for Boris, Murphy sought out an infectious disease expert.
He handed over Serika's paper cranes, now stored in a sterile box, and briefly described her mission and condition, "She said there's a plague in that village. Is it possible that these paper cranes have traces of that pathogen?"
The Japanese scholar, Toshiro Harada, slender and handsome with rimless glasses, replied, "It's possible. I'll check these samples. If things go well, we could have results in three to four hours."
"Thank you."
Next, Murphy went to find Alex.
Alex Wood, ever since being ordered to stay in the institute after a quick trip to Germany, had been living there just like the researchers.
When Murphy found him, he was surprised to see Alex's dark circles had worsened.
"What happened?" Murphy was puzzled, "Teaching some students shouldn't be this exhausting, should it?"
Alex clung to Murphy's legs, "Boss, please spare me. Let me handle the herbs. I don't want to teach anymore, I really don't want to teach anymore!"
"Why? Did those Muggles bully you?" Murphy was somewhat baffled.
"They are all devils!" Alex's face was a picture of collapse. "For the first two weeks, I was relatively free. They were seriously studying and rarely asked questions. The few they asked were simple."
"But in less than a month, they went crazy. Each of them came to me with a dozen notebooks full of questions! A dozen! Hundreds of questions! All different!"
"It was terrifying! Really terrifying! And their questions were so bizarre! Why would Muggles think of such strange questions? Does a centaur's heart belong in the human or horse part, are their spines connected, is mandrake a plant or an animal, why can't humans and fairies reproduce together... My God!"
"Later, Ms. Laura saw me struggling and let them discuss among themselves first, compiling their questions before asking me."
"But their questions became even stranger! If a dead person's hair is added to a potion, will the drinker become a corpse, can Animagi have children with animals, is the water from Aguamenti drinkable, can you eat snakes summoned by Serpensortia..."
Murphy: "..."
He could understand the Muggle researchers' enthusiasm. When he first arrived in this world, he was the same.
"They stopped asking me questions because I couldn't answer them. But then they started asking me to demonstrate spells in various strange ways, like using Reducto on a dozen different objects blindfolded, and creating obstacles for me to use Point Me..."
"I don't know what they're doing, but I usually have to cast a spell hundreds of times before they're satisfied..."
"I was never this diligent as a student! I'm the teacher, why am I working harder than them... Muggle students are terrifying!"
"I'm so tired, I don't want to teach anymore, boss, please let me go."
Murphy patted Alex's shoulder, "You've worked hard."
He truly hadn't expected this situation. He thought Alex would just occasionally demonstrate a spell, but he underestimated the Muggle researchers' thirst for knowledge. They treated Alex like an experimental assistant.
"You just hang in there, I'll try to recruit more people soon."
Murphy could only make promises he wasn't sure when he could fulfill.
But to recruit more people into the institute, he must resolve the loyalty issue.
How could he restrict a wizard capable of invisibility, Apparition, and shapeshifting? Confiscate their wands? Then what use would they be?
Therefore, to solve the loyalty issue, he needed the Heartseed.
Thinking of this, Murphy sighed, "Alex, there's something I must tell you."
"Hm?" Alex looked puzzled.
"Your sister, Serika Wood, is trapped in Josiah's village, and she's infected with a dangerous disease. She might not have much time left, and rescuing her is extremely difficult..."
"Alex, momentarily failing to comprehend, asked, "My sister? She's sick?"
"Yes, she went to find a spell for me and ended up in a dangerous place. Serika wrote that entering that village means being cursed and unable to leave. And there's a plague, so going to rescue her is very risky."
"You... don't plan to save her?" Alex looked at Murphy in shock.
Murphy was also hesitating.
From Serika's letters, going to rescue her was very risky, and he didn't want to take the chance.
But she was working for him when she went to the village, and it would be wrong to abandon her.
And he desperately needed the Heartseed.
In the wizarding world, he was just a nouveau riche without any real foundation. Despite seeming influential with his wealth, he actually held no real power.
He had persuaded Lucius with the notion that money is power.
But this transformation of power requires time.
Before that happens, more direct forms of power could backfire at any time.
Malfoy and his friends wouldn't truly side with Murphy. They weren't even loyal to their former master, let alone him.
Once they see through Murphy's facade, realizing he only has money, what awaits him is being torn apart and devoured.
"If you won't save her, let me go, I'll..."
"Shut up, who said I'm not saving her?!"
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