Chapter 4922

As a half-legendary investigator with maxed-out librarian skills, Jason has studied the Outer Gods more than anyone else here. After all, without these two brushes, he couldn't have worked in Gotham University's library. The Outer Gods favor Gotham especially, and among them, the highly inspired and curious students of Gotham University are their favorites. Over the years, it's basically become the level of a preparatory class for a top university.

"Normally, they don't attack each other," Jason said, sitting in the common lounge of Oxford University's student dormitory. "They don't even have the concept of attack, and they're unclear about their own situation and surroundings. But if you want to make them attack each other, it's not difficult, because most of their powers are incompatible. Just keep them together, and the pollution they unconsciously emit will constantly erode each other."

"Then do they have levels of strength?" Harley asked again. "For example, if you put a weaker one and a stronger one together, would the weaker one be knocked down immediately?"

"No," Jason said. "They have distinctions between the true god, avatars, and followers. The true god is the Outer God's main body, usually deep in the star fields, invisible and intangible, and never appears. No one knows what it's really like there, or even if the star fields truly exist."

"Avatars are the forms Outer Gods take when walking on Earth. Brand is Nyarlathotep's avatar, and so are the Black Pharaoh, Nightgaunt, and others. They seem to be parts of the same Outer God, but each is unique, with different personalities and ways of using power."

"Followers are contaminated humans or other beings, with no distinction between willing or unwilling—once contaminated, they go mad. Besides madness, they may have no special powers, but their madness itself spreads outward. By leaving behind texts and forbidden knowledge to contaminate others, that's the followers' specialty."

"If you lure a Nightgaunt and a follower together, the follower is doomed. But if it's a Black Pharaoh and a follower, it's not certain, because the Black Pharaoh doesn't necessarily kill. You first need to determine what kind of thing you're dealing with."

"It looks like an avatar now," Harley said, "and it's highly aggressive, constantly polluting the surrounding things."

"Then you need to find another avatar," Jason said, lightly tapping the computer keyboard as if doing homework. "Putting the two together will likely cause interference. At that point, the pollution might weaken, giving you a chance to act."

Harley nodded, thinking this was already a very safe plan. The missile plan would of course be used, but it could be combined with the old seal to completely expel it. And as for how to use the old seal to restrain it, that could also be done by exploiting the conflict between avatars to create an opening.

This plan gradually took shape in Harley's mind. She said to the Arkham Knight: "Take the treasure chest, let's go back."

They searched forward all the way, finding not only the treasure chest mentioned by the bishop earlier, but also individual ones. After opening them with keys, they discovered these chests didn't give mosquito-leg materials, but genuine good equipment.

The bishop's treasure chest gave a shotgun loaded with solid slugs. This type of gun is usually also called an "elephant gun," meaning it can hunt elephants. Although it's not necessarily a one-shot kill, its power is evident. Its strongest aspect is stopping power—besides elephants, basically no creature can take a shot and keep moving.

"I like this," the Arkham Knight said, rarely showing his attitude. "This is a good gun."

After receiving it at the terminal, they could see the gun's quality was blue, matching the quality of the lathe blueprints given upon mission completion. Basic drops from monsters are green gear, so this is already a quite good weapon.

The items from the second chest were somewhat strange.

"A fragment of 'Personality Theory in Psychoanalysis'?" Harley said, a bit surprised. "What is this thing used for? Is it too late to start learning psychoanalysis now?"

Brainiac didn't respond, so Harley had to treat it as some mission item. If it really didn't work, she could only wait until Professor Xilei contacted them to ask him.

On the way back, Harley kept looking at that thing. After storing it in the terminal, she discovered it was actually purple. She couldn't fathom why a textbook fragment with no mystical attributes would be a purple item. What killing power does it have?

Harley looked at it and felt the content was somewhat familiar. She thought hard again, and after returning to the manor, she even pulled Tim in to think together. Finally, the two realized this book seemed to be written by Xilei.

The book's full name probably isn't this; Brainiac gave it an abbreviation. But they did study this book in college. As for what they learned back then, if they hadn't forgotten it completely, they wouldn't have had to think for half a day before realizing this book was written by their college professor.

"Oh my god," Harley said, spreading the book on her face, "this reminds me of when I was reviewing for finals..."

"I also find it strange," Tim said, sitting beside her. "Why would there be a textbook? And why is it a purple item?"

"I think it's related to our side's leader," Charles said. "Perhaps this is a tool for summoning or luring him? Could you trouble yourself to run a trip and deliver it?"

"I'll go," Pamela said. "Anyway, the squad that went to the sewers hasn't come back yet, and I won't be doing any chemical experiments. Going to check on the professor's situation would also be good."

But Pamela was still late.

When Xilei and the others discovered the archive hall might be a safe zone, they all mobilized except Charles. Xilei again used spider-sense to make a big detour, entering the school from the north gate.

After entering, they quickly found the archive hall, and sure enough, there wasn't a single monster here. There wasn't even rain here.

While everyone around wished for hail, this place was still dry. Looking up, the clouds were circling the archive hall, clearly showing how severe Brainiac's psychological shadow was.

After entering, several people breathed a sigh of relief. Although this place isn't very auspicious, as long as you don't touch those papers, it's a perfect base.

After settling in here, several people naturally wanted to go explore other places. Xilei wanted to go to his own office, but he also genuinely feared running headfirst into that leader. He thought it over and felt the best method was still to go to the chemistry department.

Although they didn't find Jonathan's large stockpile, the chemistry department definitely had the fear toxin he was currently making, at least a few bottles or semi-finished products. This fits the arrogant habit of answering chemistry on every paper.

Ethan and Gordon also agreed with this plan. They thought it was good, and even if there was no fear toxin, messing with other chemicals wouldn't be a loss. But if Brainiac wasn't holding back evil here, he wouldn't be Brainiac. The moment they stepped into the chemistry teaching building, they were hit with a wave of dizziness.

When they came to, they were sitting in a chemistry classroom. Around them sat many shadowy figures resembling students, and on the podium stood a figure very much like Jonathan Crane—a professor using the Scarecrow's guise, but somewhat altered, larger in build, with black mist drifting around his body.

The players were fixed in their chairs, completely unable to leave. Then this Jonathan began lecturing.

The content he lectured on was roughly the formulation method of some industrial reagent—first the principles and formulas, then the proportions and techniques. But no matter what he lectured on, to those present, it basically had nothing in common with heavenly scriptures.

Because he wasn't starting from chemical basics, he was directly lecturing on the very complex formulation steps of those industrial reagents. Half the blackboard was filled with his writing; someone without professional background would truly just sit there silently after hearing one thing.

What's worse, after he finished lecturing, he started rolling dice. Gordon let out another miserable scream: "Brainiac!!!"

"Study well," Brainiac replied emotionlessly. "This is a positive-energy game. Knowledge is power."

Gordon then collapsed face-first onto the desk.

After that, he saw the two academic tyrants beside him already frantically writing. He widened his eyes, first looking at Ethan, then at Xilei: "You two aren't medical doctors, are you???"

"This exam is on what was just lectured," Ethan said. "You don't need to understand the principles—just memorize it."

"You memorized all that he just lectured???" Gordon wasn't just not relieved—he was even more shocked. "Why do I have zero memory of that lecture just now? Did I pass out?"

He only remembered that the Jonathan-like monster on top was muttering, saying something he didn't remember at all. It wasn't just forgotten—it was as if it never entered his brain, just skimmed across the cerebral cortex, faster than toilet water flushing.

"You can't say he was completely memorized either," Ethan said. "But what he just lectured was logical—first he lectured on the formulation methods of those few primitive elements, then synthesized them into the final product."

Gordon no longer wanted to talk to them. He had long known he was an ordinary man, felt his current position relied mainly on experience, not talent. The only thing he was somewhat better than others at was having big guts and a stubborn temper.

But facing such a blunt intelligence gap still left Gordon speechless. However, this situation didn't last long, because after the written exam ended, they actually had to do a hands-on operation.

This was basically game over. These three people didn't know how to do chemical experiments. Ethan wasn't originally a surgeon, not even a clinical doctor—he did medical research. But because he did medical research, he'd been in labs, so he at least knew some experimental procedures, like putting on gloves first.

When the lab bench and rack came out, Gordon just reached for the flask, even wanting to bring it under his eyelids to look. Fortunately, Ethan had quick eyes and hands and stopped him.

Xilei didn't move—not because he was as stable as Mount Tai, but because he had already given up. If he had the material for doing chemical experiments, he wouldn't still be using Jonathan's fear toxin now. He's good at answering chemistry on every paper, but when studying, he answers psychology on chemistry papers. His way of passing chemistry exams is using psychology to handle the chemistry teacher.

Xilei let out a long sigh: "I'll go offline to find Jonathan."