Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix-Chapter 1002: Suspicions
"I don't remember living those behind…" Larisa said. "But I guess I predicted that this could happen."
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The other lockers were empty, so it seemed that Larisa had been the last person alive there. In any case, Rain wondered how they managed to last for that long. The type of paper used in a book significantly influences its lifespan. Acidic paper, commonly used in older books, tended to be yellow and become brittle over time.
Modern books often use acid-free or alkaline paper, which is more stable and resistant to deterioration.
To avoid that, one could maintain a stable environment with consistent temperature and humidity levels. Ideally, keep the storage area between 15-21°C and 30-50% humidity. It wasn't a good idea to store books in basements, attics, or places prone to extreme temperature and humidity fluctuations. In any case, the laboratory fits those criteria.
At the same time, Rain opened the book and then saw that the pages were a mix of green and blue… just like the blood of some of the first dragons.
"I guess we can tell which kind of material you used to keep them to last as long as possible… Anyway, it seems that you wrote things in English," Rain said. "How convenient."
Lab Log: Larisa
Date: April 3, 2030
Initial reports of seismic activities worldwide; unprecedented earthquakes recorded in various regions.
Date: May 15, 2032
Widespread flooding reported in coastal areas; unusual weather patterns observed globally.
Date: September 8, 2035
First recorded appearance of dragons; catastrophic events unfold as nations grapple with the emergence of these powerful creatures.
Date: October 20, 2035
My team and I collaborate with military forces to combat the first dragon sighting in our country.
Conventional weapons prove ineffective against the dragon's formidable defenses.
Date: December 5, 2035
Consideration of nuclear options to eliminate dragons; reports of nations using nuclear weapons with minimal impact on the creatures.
Dragons exhibit signs of mutation but appear impervious to nuclear attacks.
Date: March 2, 2038
Shift in focus: We decide to redirect efforts towards harnessing dragon power for human use.
Initiation of experiments using dragon blood serum to enhance human abilities.
Date: July 15, 2040
Volunteer shortages lead the team to use themselves as test subjects.
Tragic outcomes as team members succumb to the effects of dragon blood experimentation.
Date: September 3, 2042
Data analysis on failed experiments; attempts to refine the dragon blood serum for potential use.
Limited progress due to the loss of team members.
Date: January 18, 2045
I am the sole surviving member of the original team.
Personal experimentation with refined dragon blood serum; unexpected success in tapping into dragon power.
Date: January 19, 2045
Conclusion of the log; I now possess dragon-enhanced abilities…
"What the hell… why would you stop all of a sudden?" Elisabetha asked. "You don't mention a single thing about the others and about the events after you obtained your powers."
"... I suppose I didn't have the chance to write anything else. Maybe I was chased by the enemy when they found my powers came from it," Larisa said after a brief moment of silence. "Still, my memories show that I returned to the lab… but I didn't write anything afterward… probably because I didn't find the need to do so."
"Did you give up, or perhaps something else made you forget about it?" Rain asked. "We know that the dragons' blood can affect people. Their power is that strong…"
"I can't say for sure… I am sorry," Larisa said.
"Well, it is fine. We learned something out of this," Rain said.
Rain, holding the discovered log, felt a mix of curiosity and uncertainty about the significance of the information it contained. He decided to share the findings with the rest of the group, realizing that there might be valuable insights into the events that led to the world they now found themselves in.
As he spoke, Rain couldn't help but reflect on the fact that the entries ended abruptly, leaving the fate of Larisa and the subsequent events shrouded in mystery. While the log provided a glimpse into the struggles and sacrifices Larisa faced, Rain wondered how they could benefit from this knowledge.
The world had changed significantly in less than a decade after Rain's previous life had ended, and the emergence of the first dragons marked the turning point.
Rain recognized that the dragons' power wasn't absolute, and this realization offered a semblance of hope. It hinted that there might be vulnerabilities or limitations to their abilities at that time. Despite the devastation that had occurred, the fact that the world endured for at least fifteen years after the initial chaos suggested that the dragons' destructive potential had limits…
"I guess she found the allies after she stopped registering things…" Rain finally said.
"It is unlikely that someone wrote this as a joke… no insane person would be allowed in this place," Regis said.
"Anyway, what can we do with this kind of knowledge?" Esmeralda asked. "I can't think of much."
"Nothing yet, but at least we confirmed that their idea to look for places that had a lot of people in the past is worth the hassle," Rain said. "Let's move to the next location."
"It would be useful if we could repair these machines if we could learn more from the past…" Regis said.
"It is impossible. Even if they recover all of their memories, the spirits wouldn't know how to reproduce all of these machines," Rain said. "This place, only one of them worked, after all, and Larisa only knew how to use them, not how to repair them."
"I suppose you are right… we have to focus on the mission at hand," Regis said when he felt Sealyn and Esmeralda's gaze on him.
One couldn't deny that Regis had a point, but the more he pressed the issue, the more he would look suspicious in the eyes of others… He was supposed to know that, but he still acted impulsively.
