Chapter 18: Sequence 081 — Bone Carver — Ivan

With a soft squelch, the tip of the pen pierced the butler's arm.

The Doctor asked the butler, "Are you injured?"

The butler nodded. "I have sustained some minor injuries!"

Having obtained the result he sought, the Doctor rang a bell to recall the butler. "It seems the flesh and blood of S292 can indeed inflict damage upon anomalous life forms!"

In an instant, countless plans flooded the Doctor's mind.

Meanwhile, Lu Xiao remained in his containment cell, well-fed and comfortable. He would often visit the Plague Doctor for a chat, living quite contentedly.

"My friend! I feel like my appetite hasn't been great lately!" Lu Xiao said, sounding a bit troubled.

The Plague Doctor’s voice emanated from beneath his bird-like mask. "Do not be anxious, my friend. It is simply because your curse has been suppressed, meaning you no longer need to consume vast quantities of food to maintain your energy expenditure!"

Hearing the Plague Doctor’s diagnosis, Lu Xiao breathed a sigh of relief. He had feared he was falling ill again. Lately, he had noticed himself eating less and less. Especially when staying in his room without going out, he used to eat three large buckets of rice per meal, but now he could only finish one.

"By the way, where is Mr. Ivan? I haven't seen him lately!" Lu Xiao suddenly remembered the purpose of his visit. "I want to thank Mr. Ivan in person!"

The Plague Doctor replied, "Then I shall take you to him!"

"Thank you, my friend!"

Soon, the Plague Doctor led Lu Xiao to Ivan’s containment cell. Lu Xiao glanced at the small screen on the wall.

[Identification: S081 - The Bone Carver]
[Containment Level: S]
[Target Abilities: Puppet construction, carving, alchemy]
[Containment Protocols: Do not provoke!]
[Combat Capability: When fighting him, watch out for your own bones!]
[Note: A toy maker from the Middle Ages whose carved dolls were beloved by children! Although they were all carved from human bone!]
[Note: He possesses exquisite carving skills and vast alchemical knowledge! With these, he can craft formidable puppets!]
[Note: This target cannot be traded with under any circumstances!]

The Plague Doctor also looked at the small screen and said to Lu Xiao, "Ivan is a master craftsman. The dolls he made during his life were deeply loved by children."

"But once it was discovered that those dolls were carved from human bones, those ignorant people exacted a frenzied revenge upon him."

"They tied Ivan to a gallows and tortured him with the most extreme methods imaginable."

"In the end, they even separated his body from his bones."

Hearing this, Lu Xiao sighed. "What a pity! Mr. Ivan was clearly a craftsman worthy of respect."

The Plague Doctor agreed wholeheartedly. "He merely wished to bring joy to the people. Alas!"

The Plague Doctor then rang the doorbell. A moment later, the door opened. Ivan was squatting before a massive skeleton.

Lu Xiao scanned the room. It was piled high with all manner of carvings—some humanoid, some beast-like. Compared to the barren containment cell he shared with the Plague Doctor, Ivan’s room felt much more lived-in. The floor was covered with a single large red rug, which appeared to be made from the pelt of some unknown creature.

Ivan turned his head to look at the two visitors. "Why have you come?"

Ivan’s voice echoed from within the Plague Doctor’s body; clearly, this was directed at him. The Plague Doctor gestured toward Lu Xiao. "Ivan, my friend wishes to express his gratitude to you in person!"

Lu Xiao nodded eagerly. "Mr. Ivan, thank you for the surgery you performed on me earlier. I feel wonderful now!"

The soul-fire in Ivan’s eye sockets flickered, and then his voice resonated from inside Lu Xiao’s own body. "You are welcome! In you, I have completed a magnificent work of art."

The Plague Doctor asked, "May we come in and sit for a while?"

"Please, enter!"

Lu Xiao stepped onto the red rug. His feet felt a strange sensation, as if he were treading on flesh and muscle—it was quite evocative.

Ivan pointed to two chairs. "Please, sit."

They were chairs carved from unidentified bones, with seats padded in finely textured leather. The backrests remained stark, white bone. Lu Xiao sat down and found them remarkably comfortable. At the same time, a faint, pleasant fragrance drifted into his nostrils. Lu Xiao couldn't identify the scent, but it was delightful.

Meanwhile, Ivan’s voice echoed through the room. "Friend! What do you think of my collection?"

The bone carvings all around them vibrated in unison, emitting Ivan’s voice. Lu Xiao glanced around and immediately gave a thumbs-up. "These are all exquisite works of art! I must say, Mr. Ivan, your carving skills are nothing short of divine!"

Hearing Lu Xiao's words, the soul-fire in Ivan’s eye sockets pulsed violently once more. "Alas, people do not recognize my art," Ivan’s voice rang out.

Lu Xiao offered comfort. "Mr. Ivan, great works of art are inevitably met with controversy. It is obvious that this is only because they do not understand art."

As he spoke, he looked toward the Plague Doctor. "Just like Mr. Plague Doctor—his medical skills are always met with suspicion. Yet, you and I both know that he is, in fact, a great doctor."

The Plague Doctor’s beak clicked open and shut; for a moment, he did not know what to say. Both the Plague Doctor and Ivan stared at Lu Xiao.

Lu Xiao wore a smile. "Mr. Plague Doctor is the greatest physician I have ever met; his convictions make even me feel ashamed. And you, Mr. Ivan, you are the most incredible carving artist I have ever encountered! Look at these exquisite works! They are so dazzling! They belong in an art museum!"

These words moved both the Plague Doctor and Ivan deeply. Ivan, in particular, was affected; the emerald soul-fire in his hollow sockets danced wildly, and his body trembled with excitement. The sound of clicking bones echoed through the room.

"But they killed me so cruelly!" Ivan lamented. "They forgot that the dolls I carved with my own hands had once appeared as burial offerings for their own children! I only wanted to bring some joy to the little ones!"

There was a profound sense of regret in that voice.

Lu Xiao consoled him. "Mr. Ivan, I don't think you are the one who should feel regret. It is those foolish people who should feel it. Because of their ignorance, they lost a great artist!"

Hearing Lu Xiao’s words, Ivan stood frozen for a long time. "Thank you, my friend. Your words make me feel much better. Although I never blamed those people, that incident did leave me with a deep sense of sorrow."

The Plague Doctor spoke up then. "Ivan, I am truly happy to see you emerging from the shadows of your heart."

"I am happy too," Ivan replied. "My friend, I have decided to give you a small gift."

The voice emanated from within Lu Xiao’s own body.