The Scream of A Thousand Libraries Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Noah's Investigations (V).

Read chapter 43 of The Scream of A Thousand Libraries by Susangja on NovelPedia.

POV: NOAH WILLIAMS. Lunch wasn’t special at all. The smell of coffee mixed with what seemed like chocolate cake had already spread through the hotel’s dining area; I chose to eat there more out of convenience than desire. After all, it had both traditional foods as well as the usual fare you’d find anywhere. The place was a simple hall, further in on the ground floor of the hotel, with several tables outlining the room. a bit like a buffet. Tables were set simply, the food came with no luxury, and maybe that was exactly what I needed just then: a regular meal, nothing eye-catching, nothing to distract me more than I already was. With each forkful, however, my mind wandered. The taste got lost amidst the layers of my thoughts. I cut the meat with an almost automatic gesture, chewed slowly, and my eyes rested on the darkened screen of my communicator lying next to my plate. I knew I’d get the test results any moment… ‘Hope it’s good news…’ After investigating the woods and the city entrance, I compiled all the information from both events and sent it to SFR for lab analysis. Even so, since I was far from the central team in Brasília, it took some time for the report response. With the info I had, I could piece together a mental sketch of what was happening in the city over the previous months. And I came to the conclusion that something big was being tested there, not just H’s visit looking for the S file, but maybe something connected to the new drug’s test. ‘Better enjoy my lunch now… I don’t think I’ll have much time for this soon…’ I kept eating for a bit, watching the hotel’s morning routine unfold. Several people came for a quick lunch then went straight back to their rooms; others just passed through and left hurriedly. Hotel staff moved about, busy as ants. For many, all the commotion might be bothersome, but for me, I always found it natural. So I felt a brief moment of peace. And just as I tried to relax, forcing down a sip of water, I felt my communicator vibrate. The subtle sound echoed like a gunshot in the quiet room. I grabbed the device right away and opened the notification. The lab report was finally done. I scanned the data line by line, feeling the strange tension of someone dismantling a bomb without knowing if they had the right tools. The samples I’d sent weeks ago came back with results that were both clear and murky. It was, in fact, some sort of elixir or magical medication. if you could still call it that. Something altered, manipulated by hands that knew exactly what they were doing. The symptoms and properties weren’t fully understood yet. The analysts were careful in their notes, but there was enough detail to put me on alert. The substance reacted anomalously when in contact with vital energy and, in some cases, amplified the natural flow of magical circuits to the breaking point. A real risk, if not a disaster waiting to happen. The cross-referencing of data was what unsettled me most. The samples matched other investigations run by SFR. Cases in Hong Kong, Siberia, and even Brussels had shown the same chemical-magical trace. It wasn’t just an isolated accident. Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators! Someone was spreading this stuff, maybe testing it out, maybe distributing it… and we were only now starting to gather the pieces of the puzzle. I swallowed hard. Whatever the purpose, there was no doubt, the effects were odd and potentially devastating for anyone who consumed the drug. I set my cutlery aside and took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. The priority was clear: I needed to find Miguel and fill him in. He knew how to move in certain parts of the city and might already have additional information. I stood, tied my coat around my waist, checked that I had all my documents, and got ready to leave. That’s when another notification popped up. My communicator vibrated again with recent QP readings. The fluctuations were coming from th