MEMELAND

Kai finally caught up with Andrew.

Andrew was sitting on a bench outside a public bathhouse.

Still damp.

Still smelling vaguely like soap.

Kai looked at him.

Andrew looked back.

Neither spoke.

Finally—

Andrew clicked his tongue.

"Tsk."

"I almost got that sonova bitch."

Kai nodded.

"...Yeah."

Andrew stood.

Stretched.

Then yawned.

"Welp."

"I'm gonna grab ashower."

Kai blinked.

"...a shower?"

"I smell like the sewer."

Andrew waved without looking back.

"You're on your own."

Kai frowned.

"Wait."

"What?"

"I thought you were escorting me."

Andrew kept walking.

"My job ended when I got you here."

"...The rest's your problem."

Kai stared.

"...Ayo."

"...What?"

Andrew lazily raised one hand.

"Good luck."

Then disappeared into the crowd.

Kai remained standing there.

"..."

"...He actually left."

He scratched the back of his head.

"...Haaah..."

"...Figures."

With nothing else to do—

Kai continued walking.

He stopped in front of an ordinary-looking building.

Nothing about it stood out.

Old brick walls.

Small windows.

A faded wooden sign.

It looked more like a storage building than a clinic.

Kai checked the address again.

"...This should be it."

He approached the door.

Knock.

Knock.

Knock.

Pause.

Knock.

Knock.

Kai cleared his throat.

"...A doctor a day keeps the apple away."

Silence.

He waited.

...

Still nothing.

Kai looked around.

"...Maybe nobody's home?"

Another minute passed.

Then another.

He sighed.

"...Did I get the password wrong?"

Suddenly—

A loud voice echoed from inside.

"AREN'T YOU GONNA COME INSIDE ALREADY?!"

Kai jumped.

"...Huh?"

He slowly reached for the handle.

It turned immediately.

Unlocked.

"..."

Kai awkwardly stepped inside.

The door closed behind him.

The interior surprised him.

The workshop was...

Crowded.

Shelves filled every wall.

Glass bottles.

Medical texts.

Strange mechanical devices.

Rows of preserved organs floating inside jars.

Stacks of egg cartons.

Far...

Far too many egg cartons.

Kai blinked.

"...Why are there eggs?"

No answer.

Instead—

Dr. Z walked out from another room carrying three boxes at once.

He looked at Kai.

Then frowned.

"The hell's wrong with you?"

Kai pointed toward the door.

"...You told me to knock."

"I did."

"...So I waited."

"...Why?"

Kai stared.

"...Because nobody answered?"

Dr. Z threw both hands into the air.

"The door was unlocked!"

"What were you doing?"

"Dawdling outside?"

Kai opened his mouth.

Closed it.

Opened it again.

"...Normal people don't just walk into mysterious buildings."

Dr. Z looked genuinely confused.

"...Why not?"

Kai decided not to answer.

It wasn't worth it.

Dr. Z shrugged.

"Aight."

"Sit."

He pointed toward a reinforced chair positioned beneath several mana lamps.

Kai walked over.

Sat down.

While waiting—

He quietly observed the room.

Every table had been organized.

Perfectly.

Every tool sat exactly parallel to the others.

Measurements written in chalk covered one wall.

Half-finished blueprints littered another.

Mechanical arms.

Mana tubing.

Tiny enchanted gears.

It looked chaotic...

Yet somehow every single object had its own exact place.

Dr. Z returned pushing a heavy metal table mounted on wheels.

It rolled silently across the floor.

He stopped beside Kai.

Then immediately began arranging instruments.

Magic scalpels.

Mechanical clamps.

Crystal needles.

Mana injectors.

Steel arms folded neatly against the side of the table.

He adjusted one scalpel.

Moved it two millimeters.

Stopped.

Adjusted it another millimeter.

Satisfied.

Then repeated the process with every other tool.

Kai watched silently.

"..."

Dr. Z noticed him staring.

"What?"

"...Nothing."

"You sure?"

"...Just..."

"You seem..."

"...Very organized."

Dr. Z grinned proudly.

"I know."

"If one scalpel is even slightly crooked..."

"...I can't think."

Kai slowly nodded.

"...That explains a lot."

Several more minutes passed.

The doctor inspected every instrument one final time.

Satisfied—

He removed his gloves.

Turned toward Kai.

Then smiled.

"So."

"Everything's ready."

He leaned against the table.

Folded his arms.

And looked directly into Kai's eyes.

"So tell me..."

"...How exactly do you know about Magic Circuit implementation?"

The room became quiet.

Kai knew...

His next answer would decide everything.