9 AM.
The alchemy language class concluded.
Xia Zuo didn't receive any experience rewards from the class.
Well, thinking about it, the purpose of attending classes was to memorize textbook knowledge.
After self-studying Alchemic Linguistics, he wouldn't expect to gain memory book rewards again.
Today's second class was Dissection, held in Madam Morton's alchemy zone. Before the class, they were given the foundational material for the lesson—'Anatomy Atlas.'
In the classroom, students were tasked with dissecting some creatures... and this class was scheduled just before lunch, making it particularly effective for weight loss.
Inside the transparent glass-constructed dissecting room, Xia Zuo and Anju shared a dissection table.
Madam Morton stood beside the podium with a cage containing white mice.
She taught Potion Alchemy, Remedies, and Wound Medicine, just like Mars Morton, with her pale golden hair.
Her chin was pointed, her eyes a light blue, her countenance stern, and the curve at the corner of her mouth resembled a smirk, sending an eerie chill across the male and female students she glanced at.
Xia Zuo's throat moved as he struggled to swallow, imagining it was hard to conceive this somewhat sinister Madam Morton, with her pale golden hair, as Mars's mother.
"The time has come. Let's begin the class."
Madam Morton leaned on the podium, her tone steady:
"I'm your Dissection instructor. Before becoming apprentices in magic, your tools for dissection are dedicated scalpels, needles, scissors, and tweezers."
She picked up the white gloves on the table and calmly put them on, "I'll be using these tools for demonstration rather than spells."
"Snap!"
The waterproof, oil-resistant leather gloves snugly fit her palms, emitting a crisp sound.
"You can divide the dissection and record-keeping tasks among yourselves."
Anju hesitated, staring at the cage of white mice in front of her...
Her drawings usually depicted characters, animals, and natural scenery; she had never imagined dissecting the creatures appearing in those artworks.
"Xia Zuo, could you handle the dissection?"
"No problem. You can assist me with the records."
Xia Zuo pushed the notepad and pen on the table towards Anju and arranged the tray containing dissection tools for himself.
This class was highly practical, gaining experience through regular class methods was easier than rote memorization.
After a minute, each group divided their tasks.
Madam Morton manipulated a small white mouse, suspending it in mid-air:
"Our dissections serve to better understand alchemy, not for cruelty. Remember that."
"Now, everyone turn to page 11 in the 'Anatomy Atlas.'"
On this page were the mouse's dissection diagrams, step-by-step instructions, and an overview of a common rodent's physiological structure.
The first step in dissection was to ensure the subject lost consciousness without pain.
Madam Morton picked up the dissection needle, aiming at the airborne white mouse:
"Observe how I hold the needle, the insertion point, and angle. Use more force, but the key is to strike decisively, without hesitation."
She adjusted her position and the direction of the small white mouse to ensure all students could accurately mimic the procedure.
"Pluck!"
The instant piercing sound echoed, and the lively white mouse hung limply, its limbs drooping.
"Now, try it yourselves."
Madam Morton gestured, and the blood from the mouse's wound flowed into a glass jar on the table.
Xia Zuo carefully read through page 11, engraving the vital points of the white mouse in his mind.
Then, he held the mouse's body with his left hand, gently stroking its head with the right, maneuvering the dissection needle a few times, seeking the right spot.
"Ugh," Anju covered her eyes, turning her head away.
Xia Zuo took a deep breath.
"Pluck."
The fluttering white mouse fell still in his hand.
One decisive strike.
The golden finger sent congratulations:
"Successful killing of the white mouse, accurate hit in vital area, additional 100% experience bonus, reward 0.002 experience.
"Detected host now possesses knowledge reserves of common rodent species, updating detection skills...
"Update complete!
"Unlocked blood volume data for common rodent species!"
Xia Zuo placed the white mouse into a special glass container, hastening its blood loss, and used detection on the carcass.
【Organism Name】 White Mouse
【Species】 Common Rodent
【Blood Volume】 0/3 (Deceased)
【Resistance】 None
【Strength】 0
【Agility】 1
【Endurance】 0
【Vitality】 0
【Perception】 1
【Willpower】 0
【Spirit】 0
【Charm】 0
【Special Abilities】 None
The template now displayed blood volume!
He used detection on Madam Morton, yet her blood volume remained "???."
He employed detection on other groups' white mice, and without exception, could see specific blood volume data.
The 'Anatomy Atlas' encompassed dissecting information on hundreds of non-humanoid creatures, from white mice to livestock, wild beasts, and birds of prey, including common animals.
If he memorized their vital areas and executed a single decisive strike during each dissection, it would unlock blood volume data for many animal templates!
And if there were dissection classes for humanoid creatures in the future...
Xia Zuo felt an inexplicable chill.
"Are you done?" Anju cautiously peeked between her fingers, assessing the situation on the table. The serene white mouse lay in the container...
She looked around.
"Squeak squeak squeak squeak."
A white mouse with a dissection needle stuck in its head just fell to the ground, struggling. The scene was somewhat gruesome.
"Ah!"
Anju clasped Xia Zuo's arm, burying her face behind him.
Xia Zuo's mouth twitched; she had caught the part of his elbow that would go numb, "It's okay, that mouse has been caught."
"Ugh," Anju released her grip, her cheeks flushed.
In the glass container, the white mouse's blood was draining away.
Xia Zuo picked up the scalpel and tweezers to continue.
The subsequent dissection process was rather gruesome, and the smell was unpleasant; just watching, one could feel the slippery sensation of flesh and blood in their hands.
Anju, pale-faced, compared the example in the 'Anatomy Atlas' and recorded the dissection results on a blank notepad.
Xia Zuo felt very uncomfortable dissecting the small white mouse, but as a boy, he had to grit his teeth and complete all the operations.
As he placed the final piece of bone on the tray, he received a message:
"Detected the host has successfully dissected a common rodent according to the 'Anatomy Atlas,' rewarded 0.01 perception. Repeated dissections of this type of creature won't yield perception rewards."
The last time he received perception rewards seemed to be when he drove a carriage.
Xia Zuo recalled.
Driving a carriage for two or three months, totaling 1 perception reward, raised his attribute from 3 to 4.
Subsequent situations,
like exercising strength with a mini elastic ball, the difficulty of driving the carriage diminished, and the reward of perception sharply decreased.
Dissecting a common rodent rewarded 0.01 perception... so dissecting all the creatures in the 'Anatomy Atlas' at least granted 1 perception in total!
Happy~
Xia Zuo smirked at the dismantled white mouse. Anju was quite timid, so he could naturally handle all the dissection work.
"What's wrong... why are you laughing?" Anju asked, her voice trembling.
Xia Zuo cleared his throat, composed his face, and with a slightly serious tone said:
"See, didn't I do well? Didn't disappoint the white mouse's contribution."
Anju compared his dissection results with the book and indeed found them well done, diminishing her aversion toward the dissection class.
She nodded with a smile, "Yeah! From now on, I'll leave the dissecting work to you."
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