Chapter 41: Mandatory Identification of mutant Object

Being plans sourced from the present world, some issues arose during replication here. Duan Wenxuan himself wasn’t well-versed in design, but fortunately, he had the actual items from his time as reference points, allowing him to make straightforward assessments based on their appearance.

After a busy morning, Duan Wenxuan finally sat down at the estate owner’s residence to have lunch.

Upon arriving here, his steward Steele naturally accompanied him. As expected of a professional, Steele swiftly took charge and efficiently organized the previously disorganized servants responsible for the estate owner’s mansion.

Enjoying a simple meal of steak with fried eggs, Duan Wenxuan found it quite tasty.

“Sir.”

While Duan Wenxuan was savoring his lunch ambiance, Steele entered through the door. After courteously bowing, he calmly spoke, “Apologies for interrupting your meal, sir, but you mentioned before that if anyone discovers something unusual within the manor, they must inform you immediately.”

“What is it?” Duan Wenxuan put down his utensils.

Steele slightly raised his gaze, and the two waiting servants promptly and quietly withdrew. It was evident how well Steele had trained them in just a few short days.

“It’s a father and son pair. The father is named Moto Niu, and the son is called Bern Niu. Moto said that while returning home from work today, his son stumbled upon something strange on the road. It’s quite peculiar, and they believe it should rightfully belong to the estate owner as a newly discovered item within the manor.”

The economic system of the manor was relatively closed-off, so many farmers did not have formal surnames. Instead, their ancestors often adopted names reflecting their aspirations or desires.

“Have them come in,” Duan Wenxuan said with immediate interest, no longer even wanting to finish his half-eaten steak.

In this world, Duan Wenxuan planned to conduct an experiment. If successful, he would continuously search for unique items and mutants throughout this realm.

However, conducting the experiment required at least one mutant artifact, which currently eluded him. Most mutants had already been monopolized by the Night Church.

Shortly after, Duan Wenxuan met the Moto father and son duo.

Moto, though not tall, appeared sturdy. His son, Bern, stood a head taller than him but seemed slightly leaner. Like all other farmers, years of labor had left their skin weathered and darkened, while their expressions conveyed timidity and deference.

“Don’t be nervous,” Duan Wenxuan smiled reassuringly.

Bern shivered slightly despite his initial excitement upon arrival, anticipating the estate owner’s reward. However, as soon as he stepped into the manor, he felt intensely self-conscious.

The place was enormous and impeccably clean.

At that moment, he could even detect a faint fragrance mingled with the pleasant scent of sunlight within the house. The estate owner appeared young and handsome, almost god-like.

Feeling extremely uneasy, Bern’s insecurities and nervousness nearly overwhelmed him, making him desperate to flee back home. He also began doubting whether the item in his arms would truly be useful to the estate owner.

Perhaps it isn’t, which would be utterly embarrassing… too embarrassing…

“Could you please show me what you have?”

“Certainly, certainly.” Overcome by nerves, Bern hastily handed over the object clutched in his hands.

Despite being younger, Bern harbored more shame than his father. Seeing the dirty, worn-out cloth wrapping around the item and feeling the mud caked under his own fingernails, he deeply regretted not washing his hands before coming, fearing the embarrassment before the estate owner.

Without showing any disdain, Steele accepted the package from Bern, placed it on the dining table, and slowly unwrapped it. Inside revealed a heavily rusted teapot.

“This thing…” Duan Wenxuan picked it up and gave it a shake. The teapot felt half-full, suggesting there was water inside. However, when he tilted the spout to pour, no tea would come out.

“Somewhat peculiar,” Duan Wenxuan muttered. Nevertheless, he was fairly certain this was a mutant due to the slight movement of the paper figurine in his arms, signaling its awareness.

The Moto father and son were so tense they almost dared not breathe.

After examining it for a moment, Duan Wenxuan finally remembered Moto and Bern, smiling at them. “It indeed meets my requirements; this is what I need. As previously stated, I will not be stingy with rewards.”

Moto’s eyes lit up, pulling Bern to bow their heads respectfully to Duan Wenxuan.

“There’s no need for such gestures, but I do have more questions for you, Bern. After discovering this teapot, did you sense anything else unusual?”

Based on what Winter and Vena had explained at the inn, mutants were generally harmless and could fuse with individuals whose characteristics matched, allowing them to utilize the object to some extent. As for how to determine this match, Winter mentioned that one would instinctively feel it upon obtaining a mutant. However, despite examining the teapot thoroughly, Duan Wenxuan didn’t perceive any connection whatsoever.

In other words, this mutant indeed did not align with his characteristics.

Duan Wenxuan swiftly shared what he had learned about Votive’s ability.

“So peculiar! Any wish can be granted?”

Facing the curious estate owner, Duan Wenxuan strained to recall the meaning behind the ethereal voice he had heard earlier. ”…It felt like anything should be possible.”

“Can you directly make a wish? Are there no conditions or limitations?”

“I… I’m not sure. Many of the voices were unclear; I only knew that I could make a wish,” Bern replied hesitantly.

Duan Wenxuan examined the teapot in his hand and then gestured for Bern to approach. “Come here, take the teapot, and make a wish for a piece of bread.”

Bern glanced at his father, slightly bewildered.

“All right.” Bern understood he couldn’t refuse.

Stepping forward, he grasped the teapot and gently shook it while silently wishing for a piece of bread. Duan Wenxuan watched him intently, as Bern nervously looked away from Duan Wenxuan and focused on the teapot.

“Don’t be afraid.” Seeing Bern break out in nervous sweat, Duan Wenxuan couldn’t help but pat him reassuringly on the shoulder.

— Ding

Suddenly, a soft ‘ding’ sound emanated from within the teapot.

Suddenly, a soft ‘ding’ emanated from within the teapot, and without anyone noticing, a piece of black mixed-grain bread materialized in Bern’s hand.

“Bread, it’s really bread!” Bern promptly grabbed the bread, instinctively looking up with delight towards Duan Wenxuan.

Duan Wenxuan took the bread, sniffed it, and recognized it as the most common sustenance for farmers: mixed-grain bread. It even contained ground powder made from dried rice husks and bean shells, resulting in a tasteless yet coarse texture that scratched the throat.

Regarding this darned teapot, although Bern’s wish for bread wasn’t explicitly mentioned, why did he only receive a small piece barely half the size of his palm?

Duan Wenxuan tossed the bread back to Bern. “Do you feel anything unusual with your body?”

The fact that Bern could use the teapot suggests compatibility between him and its properties. However, Winter had explained that mutants have dual effects; while granting power to their host, they also harm them. Since Bern made a wish, effectively using the teapot, there should be some noticeable adverse physical reaction.

Bern checked himself momentarily and oddly pressed on areas near his kidneys, “I don’t feel discomfort, but these spots seem unusually cool, as if constantly exposed to a cold breeze.”

As expected, something is not right.

After pondering briefly, Duan Wenxuan reclaimed the teapot and smiled, “Alright, let’s conclude here for today. Haven’t you had lunch yet? Shortly, Mr. Steele will take you both to the kitchen. Feel free to request any dishes directly from the chefs. Additionally, if you desire sweet wine, please ask Mr. Steele. Considering you may have family at home, after dining, you’re welcome to take some food with you; I imagine your families would appreciate it.”

A generous offer of unlimited free food to their heart’s content!

Bern and Moto eagerly left, feeling overjoyed. Although the teapot’s ability to grant wishes with just a piece of bread seemed magical, a fleeting hint of regret crossed Moto’s mind but was quickly forgotten.

As mere farmers, their life experiences taught them that dwelling too much on such matters had no benefits. Instead of obsessing over the peculiar teapot, they preferred thinking about how delighted Shanfu and the children would be upon returning home with delicious food.

After Moto and Bern departed, Duan Wenxuan instructed, “While they’re eating, send some additional grain, cheese, fabrics, and ten silver coins to their homes.”

This gesture symbolized investing heavily for future gains. Duan Wenxuan wanted others to understand that keeping strange objects at home could lead to trouble, whereas handing them over immediately yielded tangible rewards. He believed that while ambition exists, those with even slight wisdom would know the right choice to make.

“Understood, sir.” Steele courteously withdrew.

With the door closed, Duan Wenxuan ordered that he not be disturbed under any circumstances.

“It’s time for the experiment now.” Duan Wenxuan took a deep breath and directly brought the mutant object back to the present world. He wanted to see if these peculiar items could be suppressed by the ‘door’, and if so, whether he could utilize its power for Mandatory Identification.

Forget compatibility, Duan Wenxuan aimed to force a one-sided union instead of mutual consent.

Present World.

Upon returning to the present world, the teapot didn’t show any immediate changes. However, when Duan Wenxuan shook it, the liquid inside, which was initially smooth-flowing, seemed to have become somewhat viscous.

“Seems like there’s some effect.”

At least it indicated a change, right?

Duan Wenxuan sat down, prepared himself, and cautiously focused his consciousness onto the teapot. This operation felt rather unique; previously, he had always directed his awareness towards people, not objects. It remained uncertain if this would work with an item.

If it failed, Duan Wenxuan would have to resort to his backup plan: bringing individuals fused with mutants into the present world. With the door’s ‘indestructible’ attribute added to them, they could theoretically use the mutants without limitation.

However, this approach had drawbacks. Such individuals would essentially be in a state of Silence, devoid of autonomous instincts, making their utilization inconvenient. If a second personality were granted to them, the ‘indestructible’ attribute would disappear.

Suppressing his thoughts, Duan Wenxuan noticed something peculiar about the consciousness infusion process. It felt like forcing a fist into an ill-fitting container, yet this fist was exceptionally resilient and insensible to pain, leaving only misfortune for the container.

This process had two possible outcomes: either the fist would be forcefully stuffed inside, or the container would completely shatter.

Currently, Duan Wenxuan represented that fist. The teapot, clearly unwilling to shatter, began actively adjusting its ‘preferences’ as much as it could, given the incompatible nature of their characteristics and the door’s suppression preventing harm to Duan Wenxuan. It sought to transform this one-sided fusion, destined for its demise, into a mutually agreeable union.

Half an hour later.

Duan Wenxuan looked curiously at his left hand.

Previously, during consciousness infusion, his body would lose awareness and fall into a deep sleep. However, with item infusion, the xenogenesis entity merged entirely with him, forming a complete fusion.

In the Fourth World, after transcendent beings fused with mutants, their short lifespans were attributed to the harmful effects of these entities. Upon death, the mutant would then detach and become available for the next person to fuse with.

However, with Duan Wenxuan’s experience, he felt the teapot transforming into some peculiar entity and deeply merging into his left hand. Their fusion was highly integrated. If he were to die, this mutant object would likely disappear rather than being able to fuse again with someone else.

Now, his left hand essentially functioned as a Wishing Hand. Naturally, he also understood why Bern experienced a chilling sensation near his kidneys after making a wish.

After fusing with a person, this teapot allowed three wishes, but each wish demanded a price from the wisher. The first wish required the removal of both kidneys, the second wish demanded the heart, and the third wish claimed the brain. The teapot ensured its host’s survival for the first two wishes, but upon removing the brain, the host would instantly perish.

The most treacherous aspect was that after making a wish, whether it came true or not, the extent of fulfillment remained unpredictable. Yet regardless of outcome, every wish necessitated sacrificing an organ.

The liquid within the teapot consisted of condensed blood from the dissolved organs extracted by the teapot. Once the teapot filled completely, it seemed to enhance itself, becoming even more bizarre.

Duan Wenxuan stared curiously at his left hand and suddenly spoke, ”…Give me a cup of water.”

In front of him, a cup slowly filled with warm water out of nowhere. With the cold weather now, chilled water wouldn’t be suitable.

Duan Wenxuan raised his eyebrows, impressed by how considerate his left hand was.

Suddenly, he felt a slight chill in both his kidneys, indicating that wishing required the removal of an organ. However, just as this chill emerged, it swiftly retreated back.

Duan Wenxuan was certain that his kidneys remained intact.

Nevertheless, a piece of information entered his mind: Although the user’s kidneys were not extracted, according to the usage rules, the teapot must collect them, and Duan Wenxuan could not refuse this requirement. As a compromise, the teapot offered an alternative condition—Duan Wenxuan had to provide the organs but could specify their source from elsewhere.

“Not bad, now it can not only grant wishes but also serve as a valuable offensive artifact.” Duan Wenxuan gently touched his left hand, pleased with the successful experiment.

With this method, he could potentially acquire more mutant and unique items from the Fourth World.