Chapter 96: A Ten-Year-Old Genius Boy Joins the Team and Gets a Research Position!
Victor's brain, that small, precise genius processor, completely crashed at this moment.
He stood frozen at the doorway, holding Sparky, like a computer with all its programs deleted.
Everything before him completely exceeded the entire scientific understanding he'd built over the past decade.
This was not Edward's house, nor was it any place he knew.
This was a space... that couldn't be explained by physics.
An impossibly spacious area, retro dark wood furnishings, a huge, terrifying demon specimen hanging on the wall that looked like it would come alive any second, and a massive weapon in the corner taller than he was, radiating an ominous aura.
"Wh-where is this?" Victor finally found his voice, but it was dry, hoarse, and full of disbelief. "Is... is it some kind of holographic projection technology? Or... neural sensory manipulation?"
He tried desperately to explain everything using scientific terms he could understand; this was his last line of defense.
"Holographic projection can't do this," Edward's voice drifted lazily from the couch. He sat with his legs crossed, his posture so relaxed as if this were his living room—well, it was his domain.
He pointed to the huge demon specimen on the wall, "This guy is called the Creeper. It wakes up every spring for 23 days to hunt, and its temper isn't great.
It took me some effort to convince it to hang there as decoration."
Victor's face paled further.
The combination of these words impacted him more violently than the lightning he'd harnessed last night.
"De... demon?" he stammered, "Like... like in myths?"
"Pretty much," Edward shrugged, speaking casually. "Demons, ghosts, vengeful spirits, angels... these things are way more common than you think.
It's just that ordinary people can't see them. Welcome to the other side of reality, Victor."
"Woof!"
Just as Victor felt his worldview shattering and reassembling, Sparky in his arms seemed to adapt much better than he did.
The little dog wriggled free from his embrace and ran around the floor curiously.
He first ran to the huge demon specimen, tilted his head, sniffed at the empty eye socket, then trotted to the corner, circled the massive sword twice, his tail wagging like a little propeller.
He seemed very curious about this new, mysterious environment and showed no fear whatsoever.
Seeing Sparky's carefree demeanor, Victor's heart, which was about to leap out of his chest, finally calmed down a little.
"Alright, stop standing there like a statue." Edward stood up from the couch. "Come here, let me show you something cool."
He led Victor to a huge, sturdy workbench in the center of the office. The table looked like it was specially made for intricate work, with some metal scratches and oil stains still on it.
Edward waved his hand casually, and as if by magic, a pile of items appeared out of thin air on the tabletop.
Victor's pupils suddenly dilated.
He saw a glass jar filled with clear liquid, a string of silver-glowing crosses, and a finely crafted crossbow with a mechanical aesthetic.
"This is holy water." Edward picked up the glass jar and shook it in front of Victor.
The liquid in the jar refracted sacred light. "It's incredibly effective against most undead and low-level demons. Splash it on them and it's like throwing acid, and it can also purify corrupted areas."
Next, he picked up the silver cross. "Pure silver, blessed.
It's standard exorcism equipment; you can think of it as high-intensity monster repellent, especially effective against vampires and such."
Finally, his hand rested on the crossbow.
"This, well, is for those guys who don't like to talk," Edward said, picking up a crossbow bolt and showing it to Victor.
The arrowhead of the bolt was also made of pure silver, and the shaft was engraved with tiny runes that Victor couldn't understand at all. "Enchanted arrows, capable of dealing physical damage to spirits."
Victor completely forgot his fear.
Like Columbus discovering the New World, he cautiously approached the table.
His eyes gleamed with an almost fanatical light, the expression of a scientist facing uncharted territory.
He didn't reach out to touch, only observed everything with hungry eyes.
"Energy... these things all contain some kind of unique energy field..." he murmured. "What's the composition of the holy water? Is it heavy water? Or some kind of isotope? The blessing on the silver cross... is it a quantifiable energy addition process? And what's the principle of the runes? Is it based on certain resonance frequencies, or does it alter the fundamental properties of matter?"
A stream of questions poured from his mouth, his speech astonishingly fast.
Watching him, Edward's lips curved into an uncontrollable smile.
Hooked.
"I can't answer those questions," Edward spread his hands. "Because I don't understand them either. I only know how to use them, not why they work."
He looked at Victor, his expression becoming serious.
"And that's why I need you."
Edward walked around the table to Victor's side and gently placed his hand on his slender shoulder.
"First, let's address your biggest concern. This place, my office, exists in a special dimension, not part of our world. You can think of it as an absolutely safe vault. If you want, Sparky can live here forever; no one can find him, and no one can hurt him."
Victor suddenly looked up.
"And," Edward continued dangling the bait, "from here, you can open doors to anywhere. Want to take Sparky to run around in a forest miles away? No problem. Want to take him to the beach to watch the sunset? Also no problem. With just a thought and a door, you can get there. He can have true freedom, not be confined to a cage in the attic."
Freedom.
This word, like a lightning bolt, struck Victor's heart.
He looked at Sparky, who was chasing his tail nearby, then back at Edward, his bloodshot eyes filled with excitement and incredible hope.
This solved all his problems, all his worries, all his fears.
"Now, let's talk about something more important." Edward's voice lowered, carrying a captivating power.
"Victor, what you did, using science to harness lightning from the sky, re-injecting life into dead tissue... this has already transcended mere science. You are a genuine genius. You possess the talent to change the rules of the world."
"But this world is far more dangerous than you imagine. Those monsters from myths, they really exist, and they're right beside us, preying on ordinary people. And I'm the one responsible for taking out this 'trash'."
Edward's expression became serious and solemn as he looked directly into Victor's eyes.
"But I'm just one person, and I have limits. I need a partner, someone who can understand the forces I can't, someone who can analyze the composition of these mysterious artifacts, and even use your science to replicate and enhance them. I need a tech expert, a chief weapons developer."
He spread his arms, making a gesture to encompass the entire office, his voice rising, filled with dramatic yet exhilarating passion.
"Victor Frankenstein! The responsibility of protecting the world now falls on your shoulders! I hereby formally extend an invitation to you—will you accept this mission?"
The ten-year-old boy, Victor, felt his entire body's blood burning.
Resurrecting his dead dog, discovering the world's shocking secrets, and then being chosen by a mysterious and powerful hero, invited to become a partner in saving the world.
This... this was even more thrilling than all the sci-fi movies and comic books he'd ever seen combined!
All his unease, fear, and confusion were, at this moment, washed away by a huge surge of excitement called "dream come true."
He looked at Edward, at the mysterious artifacts on the table waiting for him to analyze, at Sparky running freely.
Victor nodded vigorously, straightening his small chest, his voice trembling slightly with excitement, but filled with unprecedented determination.
"I accept!"
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