OBS Chapter 10: Becoming a Lab Assistant, the Assessment Approaching
Chapter 10: Becoming a Lab Assistant, the Assessment Approaching
Rowling followed the wizard Eric into the interior of the insect science laboratory.
The place was much more spacious than he had imagined, and the air was filled with the mixed scents of various exotic herbs and insect secretions.
Along the way, you can see many transparent containers filled with all sorts of strange insects of different shapes and sizes.
Some apprentices dressed in white robes were busy inside.
Wizard Eric led him to a separate workbench, on which sat a specially made refrigerated box containing twenty translucent, slightly pulsating, milky-white glands arranged neatly.
Next to it was a set of extremely fine anatomical tools, including silver needles as thin as a hair and miniature cutting knives.
That's all.
"I'll give you two days."
"Use the tool here, and notify my assistant when finished."
After Eric finished speaking, he turned and left, seemingly unconcerned that Rowling would mess things up or steal the materials.
Luo Lin took a deep breath, knowing that this was a test for him.
He put on the thin leather gloves that were provided nearby, picked up a silver needle, and carefully observed the silk glands of a dream spider.
The surface of the gland is covered with tiny veins, and a viscous fluid flows slowly inside.
He needs to separate it from the connected tissue without piercing the epidermis, which is extremely difficult.
Focus your mind and fully utilize your expertise as a "highly efficient scholar".
His senses became exceptionally sharp, and the silver needles in his hands seemed to be an extension of his fingers.
Luo Lin carefully probed the junction between the gland and the tissue, his movements gentle and steady, searching for the most subtle entry point.
This is an extremely mentally taxing process.
His mental focus was highly concentrated, and fine beads of sweat quickly appeared on his forehead.
It took him nearly an hour to perfectly remove the first silk gland. He almost made a mistake several times during the process, but he corrected it in time with his superb control.
After placing the perfectly detached silk glands into a specific preservation solution, Rowling breathed a sigh of relief.
With the experience of the first success, the subsequent processing speed will be faster.
He rested for a moment to recover his mental strength, and then began to deal with the second one.
Time passed in quiet, focused work.
Luo Lin was completely immersed in this high-precision operation, forgetting the passage of time.
When hungry, they would take a bite of the black bread they brought with them; when thirsty, they would drink some water.
Apart from necessary rest and meditation to restore his mental energy, he devoted almost all his time to his work.
The precise control provided by the "Highly Efficient Scholar" and the profound skills offered by the "Basic Potion Material Processing (Professional)" combine perfectly at this moment.
His movements became increasingly fluid, with an extremely low error rate.
He completed the work, which was originally expected to take two days, in just one and a half days.
Nineteen of the twenty dream spiders' silk glands were perfectly separated, with only one suffering a minor tear at the edge due to an extremely fine vein adhering to it in the final stage.
However, more than 90% of the overall activity was preserved.
This success rate far exceeded Eric the wizard's expectations.
"Excellent! Far exceeding my expectations!"
Eric the wizard rarely smiled.
"It seems your talent in materials processing is far greater than you say, which is merely passable."
"It's inevitable that one will break, so this level of completion is already very impressive."
He directly allocated 500 contribution points to Luo Lin, then pondered for a moment and said:
"Rolin, would you be interested in working part-time as my lab assistant? The main task would be handling delicate and fragile materials or organs for the freight elevator."
"You might need to come in once or twice a week; the timing is negotiable."
"Compensation will be based on the difficulty and completion of the task, and will not be lower than the market price."
"Furthermore, some of the basic knowledge and resources within the laboratory can be made available to assistants."
Luo Lin was startled.
This was exactly the opportunity he had been longing for!
Not only can he obtain stable and generous rewards, but he can also access knowledge and resources at the level of a formal wizard, which will be of immeasurable benefit to his efforts in advancing to the third-class apprentice level and even becoming a formal wizard.
"Thank you for your kind consideration, Your Excellency. I am honored!"
Rowling immediately bowed and agreed.
"Very good, I will have my assistant handle the specifics with you."
"Please register your identity information first."
"From now on, you can come every Wednesday and Saturday afternoon unless there are special circumstances."
"In case of an emergency, I will have my assistant notify you."
Wizard Eric nodded and then informed Rowling of some matters.
Leaving the entomology laboratory, Rowling was filled with excitement.
Becoming a laboratory assistant for a formal wizard is undoubtedly an important shortcut.
This means that he has truly entered the inner circle of the academy and gained access to valuable resources and information channels.
He checked his identity badge and found that he had over 2500 contribution points.
Instead of squandering his money, he began making final preparations for his attempt to become a third-class apprentice.
The key to becoming a third-class apprentice lies in the qualitative change of spiritual power and the significant improvement of magical power, and it is necessary to construct a more complex prototype of a core spell model that represents one's own path.
This requires a significant accumulation of resources and a deep understanding of the knowledge.
He first spent 800 contribution points to bid for a bottle of [Concentration Potion] at the academy's internal auction.
This is a precious potion that can significantly purify mental energy and enhance meditation efficiency, and it has a remarkable effect on breaking through bottlenecks.
Next, using his access as a lab assistant, he spent 300 contribution points at an internal discount price to purchase several notes on mental energy compression and mana purification.
This kind of knowledge is usually only available to third-class apprentices or second-class apprentices with connections.
Rowling also began to consciously utilize the laboratory's resources.
Wizard Eric allows his assistants to conduct personal research using the laboratory's basic equipment after completing their work, provided they bring their own materials.
Lorin then began using the sophisticated instruments there to further optimize the preparation process of the [Stamina Recovery Potion], and attempted to research a low-level potion formula called [Clear Mind].
This potion can temporarily enhance attention and thinking speed, which is helpful for learning and constructing complex spell models.
Time flies by in a busy and fulfilling atmosphere, with only two weeks left until the assessment.
Rowling's pace of life quickened.
He spends a fixed amount of time each week at the Insect School laboratory to complete assigned tasks, and devotes all his remaining time to intensive training.
He meditates intensively three times a day, and after taking the [Concentration Potion], his progress in the [Basic Meditation Method] has increased rapidly.
He practiced Acid Splash and Weak Force Field Armor repeatedly, and his proficiency with the two spells steadily improved. Acid Splash finally reached the beginner level, and he could fire it relatively stably, with improved range and accuracy.
The [Weak Force Field Armor] has reached the pinnacle of beginner level, with enhanced defense and a longer duration.
Rowling also began studying techniques for compressing mental energy, attempting to actively guide his mental energy to condense during meditation, a process that was extremely painful.
It's like forcibly compressing loose gas into liquid, but it has a significant effect on the growth and qualitative change of mental power.
The data on the panel changes daily:
[Rank: Second-Class Apprentice Wizard (Progress 78%)]
【Spirit: 2.8】
[Mana: 28/28]
[Basic Meditation Techniques (Mastery 55%)]
[Spells: Acid Splash (Basic 15%), Weak Force Field Armor (Basic 88%)]
He was getting closer and closer to the threshold of becoming a third-class apprentice, but Rolin could sense that the final sprint would be particularly difficult.
The growth of mental strength began to slow down, and the barrier to the third rank was more solid than expected.
Ten days before the assessment, the wizard Eric called him aside and handed him a crystal bottle containing a silver liquid that emitted a soft starlight.
"This is [Starlight Dew], which has a good effect on stabilizing the mental sea and assisting in the breakthrough of the mirror."
Consider this a reward for your outstanding work recently.
Eric the Wizard spoke in a flat tone.
"Prepare well for the assessment, don't embarrass me."
A warm feeling welled up in Rowling's heart, and he solemnly accepted the gift: "Thank you, Wizard!"
This bottle of Starlight Gel is quite valuable, far exceeding the value he has created for the laboratory during this period.
This is not just a resource, but also represents recognition and investment.
Seven days before the assessment, Luo Lin adjusted his mindset.
He stopped all tasks and focused solely on meditation, spell practice, and physical training.
After taking the [Mind-Concentrating Potion] and [Starlight Dew], Rolin felt that his mental sea had become more solid and stable, and that barrier seemed to have loosened slightly.
Three days before the assessment, Luo Lin felt that he had reached the peak of his current state.
The second-class apprentice's progress has reached 99%, the spirit attribute has reached 2.9, and the maximum mana has reached 29 points.
[Basic Meditation Technique] has been improved to 68% proficiency, and [Weak Force Field Armor] has even broken through to the skilled level!
it's time!