Chapter 175

The wall before them vanished, revealing a passage.

"What a magnificent discovery — how about I let you take my spot in the Genius Club?"

Looking at the smug expression on Topaz's face,

Dr. Ratio couldn't help but throw out a jab.

"Really?"

"I thought you'd already let that go."

Topaz was a little surprised.

"This is one damn joke — you really couldn't tell?"

Dr. Ratio was at a loss for words with Topaz.

Afterwards, the two began walking along the passage.

"This place is quite the Gouqi Sect."

"Looks like Mr. Sunday has absolutely no intention of cultivating an image of lofty purity for himself."

Upon arriving at a lavish great hall, Topaz couldn't resist cracking a quip.

"Want me to remind you?"

"Inside is the dreamscape — no matter how luxurious this mansion's decor is, it won't affect Penacony one bit."

"Stop picking at the Family over something this trivial."

Dr. Ratio felt Topaz was truly too talkative.

"Mm, you're right — the only flaw the Family has is death, and Sunday must think the same way."

"Let's head downstairs."

Topaz nodded,

then went downstairs together with Dr. Ratio.

"Hold on."

Arriving at a door, Dr. Ratio suddenly stopped.

"What, took a wrong turn?"

Topaz asked, puzzled.

"No wrong turn, but this door is locked."

Dr. Ratio stared at the Qiandeda Sect before him and shook his head.

"Friend, did you really make an appointment with him?"

Topaz looked at Dr. Ratio, somewhat suspicious.

"... Oh, this is a test."

"Before the formal talk, you have to prove your worth to Sunday first."

"If I'm not mistaken, we have to find a way to open the door somewhere in this great hall — otherwise this place becomes a prison for the two of us."

Dr. Ratio understood Sunday's intention.

"Oh, an escape room — I love those."

An interested smile tugged at the corner of Topaz's mouth.

"Be serious — no one is playing with you."

"Let's turn back first; the hint is most likely in that conspicuous sand table."

Dr. Ratio turned around,

then walked toward that sand table.

"Whoa, what a huge sand table..."

"Once I've saved up enough, I want to build myself a building this tall too."

Topaz joked as he walked,

and arrived before the sand table.

"Look here — there's a very obvious gap in the model. I'll venture a guess that you're right."

Topaz observed carefully for a while,

and immediately spotted the flaw.

"Last time I came there wasn't this gap — clearly that man arranged it on purpose."

Dr. Ratio murmured thoughtfully.

"Then your genius brain must still remember what was originally placed here, right, Professor?"

Topaz inquired.

"Of course."

"Search the area — the moment I see it, I'll recognize it."

Dr. Ratio was clearly very confident in his memory.

"Right, right — why do I feel like we're here earning a degree in burglary?"

Paimon: "Topaz and Dr. Ratio really make a strange pair."

Paimon: "They're clearly on the same side, yet they keep bickering nonstop."

Lumine: "But listening to them bicker is so fun!"

Furina: "Yeah, yeah — Topaz's cheeky, unserious look paired with Dr. Ratio's dead-serious look really makes for great entertainment."

Topaz: "Miss Furina, where exactly am I being unserious?"

Topaz: "I just felt the atmosphere was a bit stuffy, so I cracked a joke, that's all."

Topaz: "It's not even a little bit improper!"

Dr. Ratio: "But those damn jokes of yours only make you look stupid!"

Kaveh: "Come to think of it, in the universe, does burglary actually have a degree?"

Zhong Li: "Although the means are improper, speaking from a standpoint of universal reason, it might really become an academic discipline."

Hu Tao: "Ah, this... are people in the universe really that open-minded?"

Hu Tao: "Even thieves can go study further??"

Navia: "Haha, I have to say, this really is 'every trade produces its top scholar'!"

March 7th: "Ahem, this should just be Topaz talking nonsense off the top of his head, right?"

March 7th: "I've never heard of any burglary degree."

Stelle: "No worries, once Topaz finishes his degree, we'll have him open a training class."

Stelle: "Wouldn't that solve it?"

Topaz: "Heh, I admire everyone's sense of humor. Clearly, you're all better at cracking jokes than I am."

The video continues.

【Found it, this is it.】

Inside a maze-like room,

the two found the missing piece of the sand table.

【The nameplate reads: Gulliver Gong Sect.】

【Such a tiny little thing and you remember it perfectly?】

【The appearance of this thing reminds me of a tunnel that shrinks anyone who passes through it.....】

Topaz looked at the miniature arch model before him and said with some curiosity.

【If I were you, I'd shut my mouth right now.】

【Say less of what shouldn't be said.】

Dr. Ratio felt Topaz was really getting a bit too noisy.

Hearing this, Topaz curled his lip.

Then the two picked up the arch,

and returned to the sand table.

【It's just like stacking building blocks.】

【I've never stacked building blocks before, I wonder which is more interesting compared to piling chips...】

【Look, a perfect fit, flawless— uh, what next?】

Topaz fitted the arch onto the sand table,