Lord of Prayer-Chapter 199 - 153: Pursuit Compass

Inside an old residence, rows of precision scientific instruments were arranged in a circle within a spacious room. Leaning against the walls, their bulky metal frames took up most of the space.

The activated instruments glowed with an assortment of lights, filling the air with a faint hum that mingled with the drone of cicadas outside.

On several whiteboards, sheets filled with symbols and equations were tacked up. In addition to these scientific formulas, there were also strange diagrams pertaining to a host of other fields, including Alchemy, Mysticism, and the Extraordinary Realm.

An assortment of books lay scattered across a wooden round table where two scientists, one old and one young, were poring over the same Ancient Book.

Their expressions were fanatical, their focus absolute. They were like men intoxicated by wondrous knowledge, unable to tear themselves away. Time slipped by, until a piercing alarm rang out nearby, jolting them back to their senses as if from a deep slumber.

The old scientist hurriedly slammed the book shut, fearing that another second's delay would see them immersed once more.

"Professor, I feel its influence on us growing deeper." The young scientist rubbed the bridge of his nose and licked his parched lips. His body trembled as his rational mind desperately fought the urge to continue reading.

"It's alright. The machine has been successfully built. Once we activate it, we'll no longer be affected by this book." The old scientist removed his reading glasses, found a sturdy chain, and bound the heavy, ancient tome layer by layer.

The two of them collapsed into their chairs to rest, gradually digesting the forbidden, unknown knowledge contained within the Ancient Book.

"Professor, does eternal life truly exist? Is what we're pursuing really not a fantasy?" the young scientist suddenly asked.

"Haven't you already glimpsed this 'Eternal Truth' yourself? Howard, we've even developed the Eternal Life Formula! Think of the lab mice. Isn't that proof enough that eternal life is real?"

The old scientist gazed obsessively at the chain-bound Ancient Book. "We've deciphered its mysteries. The gate to eternal life is already open for us.

Soon, I will be young again, and you will be eternally youthful. Once we release this technology to the World, all of humanity will achieve immortality!

Pain, disease, aging, death—all of it will cease to exist. Without these negative concepts, the endless Abyss will surely be impacted. The power of those terrifying Demons will be greatly diminished. Our technology will be enough to elevate all of humanity, to help us ascend to a higher plane of existence. Then, wiping out the Abyss will no longer be a Dream!

We will be immortalized as the greatest men in history!"

The old scientist grew more and more agitated as he spoke. Suddenly, he broke into a violent coughing fit, as if choking, hacking as though he were trying to cough up his own lungs.

With a trembling hand, he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket to cover his mouth and nose. When the coughing finally subsided, the cloth was covered in scarlet blood.

"Professor… you look terrible. You should get some rest," the young scientist, Howard, said worriedly.

As a veteran scholar with seven doctorates and eighty years of research in the Extraordinary Realm, Charles's life was now drawing to a close. Old age had taken its toll on his body, and a host of illnesses had descended upon him.

What's more, they had been studying the Eternal Life Machine day and night. Even Howard, a young man, could barely take the strain, let alone the frail, elderly Charles. The work had made his already poor health even worse, leaving him as thin as a skeleton.

"It's nothing. I can hold on a while longer." Charles wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, gasping for breath as he asked, "What's the status of the energy core?"

"After two months of adjustments, the Essence frequency adaptation has reached 99.369%," Howard replied. "We should be able to complete the frequency fusion and achieve stable control as early as tomorrow. The other instruments and the Matrix have already been calibrated; we're just waiting for the energy core to be in place."

He added with a sigh, "This is one and a half times faster than we estimated. To think we could adapt the finger bone of a fallen Crowned King so quickly... It's all thanks to the Essence adaptation technology you've developed over the years, Professor. Otherwise, the experiment would have been delayed for several more months."

'At this, he couldn't help but feel indignant. How could a genius like the Professor be ostracized by that pack of stubborn fools and reduced to this? They were researching the secrets of eternal life! Once this technology became a reality, what an incredible boon it would be for all of humankind!'

"Excellent, Howard. I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you tonight. Install the remaining components of the Eternal Life Machine as quickly as you can. As soon as the energy core adaptation is successful tomorrow, we begin the experiment immediately!"

Professor Charles suppressed his excitement, his cloudy eyes shimmering with the light of a man about to grasp the truth. "Those foolish, arrogant, conceited bastards... Once I have completely mastered the secrets of eternal life, I will never grant them a place among the immortals. Not unless they get on their knees and lick my toes!"

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"We've reached the highest point in Hong City—the Tulip Garden!"

"The Tulip Garden is so gorgeous~ Oh, wait, is that Old Yang? Never mind, let's just look at the sea of flowers in the distance, everyone."

Old Yang shot Zhou Chen a sidelong glance. "What kind of nonsense are you on about now?"

"Just feeling the vibe, couldn't resist shouting a bit."

Zhou Chen gazed at the sea of pink tulips swaying in the night breeze and sighed in admiration. "This place is gorgeous. It just cured all my stress on the spot."

As one of the crowning jewels of a world-class metropolis, the Tulip Garden was renowned as one of the three most beautiful gardens in Hong City. It was home to twelve varieties of tulips, with different architectural styles built to complement each color scheme. The sight would surely be breathtaking if one were to visit on a bright, sunny day.