Bear School Astartes

"Follow me."

Mark tilted his head towards Lann, indicating to follow him.

Their boots stepped onto the stone steps, making a ’clack clack’ sound of hard soles colliding.

The doors to the research hall were not small, and it looked more like a Great Cathedral than a combination of a research institute and a hospital.

However, in Yan’an, this city that integrates politics, religion, research, and medicine, such a trait was not inappropriate.

Mark led Lann up the steps and through the doors, placing his large suitcase by the wall in the vestibule area.

He discreetly shook his hand with a small motion.

Having carried the suitcase all afternoon and familiarized the foreigner with Yan’an’s main streets, his fingers were sore, even though he was already a Church Hunter.

After placing the suitcase down, he continued to lead Lann inside.

The lighting in the research hall was quite poor, and although plenty of oil lamps were installed, the individual lighting range was not ideal.

So the interior of the large building turned into vast regions of darkness occasionally lit by a patch of dim yellow light.

The lighting issue meant that the numerous bookshelves and vast collection of books had lost their tranquil air of knowledge and instead appeared rather eerie.

Moreover, a strange smell permeated the entire space, making it hard to determine whether it was the scent of natural potions, chemical concoctions, or some bodily fluid from within a living organism.

In any case, this strange mixture of scents was quite profound

The gloomy atmosphere of the place made Lann wrinkle his brows tightly.

If any hospital actually decorated in this style, it surely would be seen as undermining the patient’s optimism during treatment.

Upon entering, there was a sunken rectangular pool on the ground of the research hall’s first floor.

But the fountain sculpture in the middle wasn’t operational, and the water in the pool had long dried up.

There was a steady flow of people, most of them busy. Most wore uniforms similar to Mark’s, appearing to be the clergy responsible for the operation and research of the hall.

A minority, dressed in ordinary clothes, seemed to be servants assisting in menial tasks.

"This is the forefront of our gray blood disease research," Mark said while leading Lann through the crowd. "But because of that, the management here is not like the clinic-style medical care centers."

Mark made a subtle gesture towards the upper floors of the research hall.

Lann looked up as well.

There stood a person wearing a grey coat, with a stature similar to his, and a face as pale as a corpse’s—a Sumeru descendent holding a cane and lantern at the top of the stairs.

They seemed to act in a guardian role.

"You can’t roam freely here like in other medical care centers. But since this is your request, I just hope you can be cautious and not cause any trouble."

"These Sumeru descendants only recognize a few high-ranking church members or certain tokens, and they’re quite rigid. Don’t expect any empathy from them."

With that, Mark seemed to search among the bustling personnel, found his target, and simply pushed past several people with Lann.

"Adeline!"

Mark raised his hand, slightly increasing his volume, causing the person not too far away to turn their head.

It was a woman with blonde hair, dressed in a uniform similar to the clergy of the Healing Church.

But it was clear she wasn’t clergy as she lacked that sombre, deep aura.

Before turning, she seemed to be directing a servant who was dizzy from the spiral staircase of the research hall.

"Mark?"

Adeline’s voice carried confusion and surprise, evidently not expecting Mark to seek her out.

After briefly reiterating the directions to the lost individual beside her, she turned and walked towards Mark and Lann.

"Why did you come looking for me? Is there something you need?"

Adeline appeared excited, as if having someone approach her for help was a delight. Mark, however, remained as he always was.

"I figured, perhaps you’re the only one here inclined to assist with unrelated matters, Adeline."

He briefly explained Lann’s situation and gestured to the tall man behind him, who was busy surveying the research hall.

"A foreigner, looking to become a hunter in Yan’an?"

After hearing the situation, Adeline nodded repeatedly at Lann, her face breaking into a brilliant smile.

This smile was so brilliant that in Yan’an, it could almost be described as ’dazzling’.

"Thank you, Mark! For thinking of me when you need help. Rest assured, I’ll guide this gentleman through our Healing Church’s ways."

"And by then, he’ll definitely join us!"

Mark nodded calmly, just like Henrik. Although he came asking for help, his expression and demeanor didn’t convey a deep sense of camaraderie.

Mark pulled up the hood on his uniform, ready to leave the research hall, grabbing his suitcase to head to the Church Hunter’s quarters.

But as he turned and reached the pool’s edge in the research hall, it seemed he remembered something, and ’thud thud thud,’ he hurried back across the stone floor to stand in front of Adeline.

"He’s only been in Yan’an a few days. Please don’t let him wander off alone; he might get lost."

He spoke to Adeline with earnestness and attention to detail.

After finishing, he adjusted the brim of his hat and nodded slightly to Lann with a calm expression.

"Goodbye, Lann. I hope you find what you’re looking for here."

Without waiting for Lann’s response, he turned and left without hesitation.

In the throng of people, the identical clergy uniforms gradually blended in, unrecognizable.

Only Lann could recognize them; beneath that equally shadowy robe, he indeed felt Mark’s warmth and assistance beneath the indifferent facade.

Meanwhile, Adeline seemed delighted.

"Hello!" she said to Lann with some excitement, "I am the Healing Church’s Blood Saintess, Adeline. You want to understand the Healing Church’s philosophy and medical techniques, correct?"

"That’s great! I can explain it to you slowly, and I’m sure you’ll understand us, and we are currently in need of personnel."

Unlike the clergy in the research hall, Adeline greeted Lann with a smile.

Among the clergy similar to Mark’s indifferent facade, this eager smile was notably different.

Blood Saintess... The Demon Hunter summoned data from Mentos in his mind.

It was basic information he gathered from a chat while having dinner at Gascogne’s home, later refined through his own exploration and revisions.

The Yan’an Healing Church’s Holy Blood originates from the blood of Ancient Gods, but the blood of Ancient Gods is limited and too potent.

Therefore, to ensure a long-term supply of this blood, the Healing Church selects qualified women as [Blood Saintess].

By injecting them with some Holy Blood as a lure, and then undergoing systematic training and cultivation, their blood quality is greatly enhanced.

Becoming a new source of Holy Blood.

"But you seem a bit different from the others."

Lann tilted his head slightly and spoke softly.

"Mark came to ask for your help, yet you thanked him happily... It left me a bit puzzled."

"I just want to help others, help the church." Adeline pursed her lips, expressing some embarrassment, "Does this... make you feel troubled?"

"No." The Demon Hunter scratched his head with his fingers, "I don’t know how the others in Yan’an feel, but receiving help here makes me feel good."

"Ah, that’s great!" Adeline clasped her hands in front of her chest, appearing relieved.

The peculiar scent of potions in the research hall wafted intermittently.

Lann noticed that whenever they passed a few cabinets, the scent would become abruptly more intense for a moment.

Inside the cabinets against the walls lay large glass jars, inside which peculiar and assorted biological organs were soaked in liquid.

Even with Lann’s biological expertise, there were many he couldn’t discern where they originated from or which organ they belonged to.

Are these particular species unique to Yan’an unknown within his knowledge system, or have normal organs been so deformed that they’re unrecognizable for some reason?

These two guesses had already leaned toward one in Lann’s mind.

"To delve deep into healing life, one must first delve deep into studying life."

Adeline also noticed Lann didn’t conceal his action, pointing at those passing cabinets as she spoke.

"Although they appear strange, the clergy say this is a necessary process for researching life. It’s precious knowledge!"

Some clergy with wooden expressions hurriedly passed by the two, their indifference like masks they couldn’t remove from their faces.

Adeline smiled at each of them and nodded, but did not receive a single response.

The eyes of these clergy seemed focused only on their destinations or on the books or records they held.

To be honest, compared to the term ’clergy,’ Lann perceived the people of the Healing Church more like... ’scholars.’

They didn’t worship anything; they merely researched something.

"I can understand the significance of anatomy and biological samples."

While absorbing various information and intelligence in the research hall using his observational skills and Mentos’ recording function, Lann conversed fluidly and naturally with Adeline.

"These grayish-white tissues, are they extracted from patients of grey blood disease?"

Passing a cabinet, Lann stopped, gesturing toward the cabinet to indicate to Adeline.

The Blood Saintess nodded, reciting seriously: "Because the blood turned gray, the tissues permeated by capillaries were stained grayish-white, these organs are evidence of the grey blood disease having progressed deeply..."

After speaking, she smiled somewhat embarrassingly.

"This is what the clergy told me; I don’t quite understand, I just repeated it."

"But you seem so perceptive... are you knowledgeable in medicine too?"

Lann simply chuckled softly without responding.

His gaze was deeply fixed on the ’organs of severe grey blood disease patients’ within the glass jar, before casually shifting his focus away.

Adeline continued to guide Lann through the first floor of the research hall, introducing ’her vision’ of the Healing Church to him, hoping that this foreign Hunter might join the church during its current need for personnel.

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