Luo Di had just stepped into the courtyard when his tongue curled up.

The danger window provided by his sense of taste had already seen something flying swiftly towards him, about to pierce through his body.

"Over there?"

Across the viewing platform, Luo Di glimpsed a certain glint of light.

With a quick step, he sidestepped to dodge.

Whoosh!

A metal pipe shot at extreme speed,

but this was no ordinary pipe; at its tip grew an eyeball, and inside the pipe was filled with flesh.

This eyeball stared fixedly at Luo Di, and the pipe, which should have shot straight, strangely arced as if capable of biological targeting.

Swish!

Blood dripped,

a thermometer-like device was thoroughly smashed.

The pipe further embedded into the metal door behind Luo Di, closing the door as the eyeball at the pipe's tip even spread the pale flesh inside to cover the door.

The eyeball rooted at the center, forming a seal, prohibiting exit.

Luo Di covered his slightly grazed waist and abdomen, looking at the device fragments on the ground. This was the detection device given by the exhibition security; by killing enough living corpses, one could earn a visiting opportunity to the West District, or even meet Mr. Rose.

Footsteps sounded.

A middle-aged man slowly walked out from the direction of the viewing platform ahead.

Balding, wearing deep red goggles, his mouth full of metallic teeth.

His body wrapped in a white long coat similar to a lab coat, his rubber-gloved right hand retrieved a fresh eyeball from his pocket and placed it into the empty eye socket beneath the goggles.

The metal pipe that was just shot seemed to be his transformed eyeball.

At the same time,

a woman with a head shaped like a metal horn stepped out from behind him, acting as a megaphone.

"Welcome to my private pavilion! I am Professor Noel Castinov, responsible for the research work on living metals.

As you can see,

Mr. Rose lost to me in a 'body modification' contest, and according to our agreement, the East District of the Human Body Exhibition is currently under my management.

The conditions for visiting here are very strict, unlike the former exhibition, where you could come anytime.

Only special monsters with blood and metal like you are qualified to view my works and join my family.

Your detector was first destroyed for you, otherwise, your every move would be under Mr. Rose's supervision."

Luo Di wasn't very familiar with the Corner, having never heard the name.

But he could roughly guess some information: this professor must have been a subordinate of Mr. Rose, perhaps even one of the exhibition's butchers, who, due to some reason, gained independence and went solo.

To achieve this, his rank should have reached a level equivalent to a school teacher, surpassing maturity.

Although Luo Di's strength had greatly increased, trying to overpower a monster on someone else's turf was basically impossible.

After re-embedding the eyeball, Professor Noel carefully scrutinized the young man, continuing his assessment:

"Able to independently clear the living corpses I arranged between stations while your metal-related abilities are sealed, you can now deftly dodge my attack.

Your strength doesn't seem like a monster ranked over 500 in the Plantae list; your disguise is quite good.

Moreover, your left hand is not an ordinary prosthetic; it's a metal material that neither I nor Rose possesses.

I personally have done related research on the Outer Realm and can sense that your arm is linked to it."

Luo Di suddenly threw out a question: "What about my friends?"

"They aren't suitable, nor qualified to enter my pavilion. I've isolated and tried to dissuade them… Once our 'exchange' concludes, you should be able to reunite outside.

According to my usual temperament, those who sneak in with ill intentions, like you, I would definitely spare no effort to turn you into exhibits.

Fortunately, your presence curbed my temper, allowing interest to prevail, otherwise, we would all fall into someone's 'trap.'

I've basically figured out the identities of those two, but as for you, I don't have much of a clue yet.

Jiang Mansion's recent situation has been terrible and shouldn't have the capability to cultivate a 'talent' like you.

Could you introduce yourself?

I mean no harm, this single invitation was merely for academic 'exchange.' I'd love to talk with you about metal, flesh, the Outer Realm, and yourself.

If you can restrain your killing intent, perhaps we could reach a beneficial collaboration.

I can sense... appearing here along with two personnel from Jiang Mansion, you might have been lured into someone's trap, possibly by Mr. Rose.

Of course, you could also choose to trust yourself, I don't mind a practical drill to further understand you."

Saying this, Professor Noel removed his gloves, revealing a hideously deformed hand.

It appeared as though flesh and metal were irregularly, chaotically assembled, various types of nails, metal sheets, and spherical structures randomly embedded among the flesh.

Though appearing chaotic, these metals actually achieved a perfect balance with the flesh, forming this unique hand.

It was this structure that enabled Professor Noel to perform some kind of "creation."

He reached out and touched the maid before him, and an effect similar to alchemy began to take effect on the flesh's surface, and soon enough, a keyboard structure appeared on the maid's back.

A dull piano piece began playing.

Luo Di, whose left arm had been sealed, gradually returned to normal, even the mouth structure on his palm regrew, and the tongue followed to hang once more within.

However,

Upon reestablishing contact with Gust, the latter seemed unaware of the event, in a "hands-free mode," just as a voice emerged.

"Big jokers! Triple ace... Hehe, pay up, pay up, my luck has changed!!"

Upon hearing this, Luo Di furrowed his brow, clearly overestimating the trust between mentor and student, proactively retracting the tongue in his palm, feeling inexplicably embarrassed in the current environment.

...

On the viewing platform, Professor Noel continued speaking:

"Your restrictions are lifted! It's evident that although you possess an almost perfect, even surpassing Corner technology's metal arm, your own understanding of it isn't deep.

I've shown my sincerity, hoping you can believe in me.

This exchange should benefit you greatly; of course, I also need to gain from it."

Luo Di listened intently to the other's words, tasting the subtleties, quickly thinking and answering:

"I'd like to see my friends' situation."

"Sure."

Professor Noel lightly stomped the ground, and the wall beneath the viewing platform began to rotate, revealing a secret passage leading inward.

A maid emerged from it, her head replaced by a television set.

The television displayed a scene of Madam Linglong and Uncle Neck coordinating in battle, with living corpses continuously dropping from the ducts, some immensely large and uniquely shaped.

"Can't you let them leave early?"

"If there's deception, it needs to be convincingly portrayed. To outsiders, it must appear you're in a conflict with me; that's how the situation should naturally unfold.

If my guess isn't wrong,

when you arrived at the exhibition subway station, the security personnel intentionally directed you here, right?"

"Hmm..."

"Come and exchange! Though this place currently belongs to me, there's still the need to consider eavesdroppers.

Coming deeper, it also facilitates my introduction to my current research progress."

With that, Professor Noel directly turned and disappeared back into the platform.

Facing Luo Di, the maid at the secret passage entrance turned the dials on the television set, adjusting the channel back to her true form.

A striking woman's face appeared on the screen,

accompanied by the gradual increase of volume,

the television emitting her voice, "Mr. Di, please follow me. Professor Noel rarely communicates with outsiders in this manner; he very much admires your condition... also, please be extra cautious, the current exhibition is in a special state, anyone could become a pawn within it."

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