"But how do you plan to implant the 'Alchemy Matrix' into the soul? It's something intangible and invisible," Bologue asked.
Geoffrey's lips curled slightly, his voice carrying a sense of mystery and the unknown.
"That's why we need 'Condensation,' to transform the soul from nothingness into an entity that can be interfered with. That's why we're called 'Condensers.'
Bologue was dumbfounded, staring blankly for quite a while before he managed to pick up the remaining bread and smearing it with meat sauce, stuffing it into his mouth.
This feeling was quite peculiar, reminiscent of when he first arrived in this Otherworld, surrounded by new and unknown things, both exhilarating and unsettling, leaving him feeling uneasy and confused.
"So you mean, Condensers have a Philosopher's Stone... or at least something akin to a Philosopher's Stone within their bodies, correct? And it's engraved with intricate Array Patterns, much like an engine, driving Extraordinary Power within you."
Bologue tried to accept all of this; it seemed like the weakness of the Condensers was now apparent. Once the soul solidified within their bodies was extracted, they should surely perish.
"Yes, but not quite like you think. The Condenser's soul doesn't present itself as a solid entity. It's something between nothingness and entity."
Geoffrey's subsequent words shattered Bologue's assumptions.
"Condensation transforms the soul from nothingness, bypassing the liquefaction process, directly solidifying into an entity, thus refining the so-called Philosopher's Stone. And when we implant the 'Alchemy Matrix,' the soul enters a semi-condensed state, undergoing the three states of matter transformation.
Transitioning from the nothingness of 'gas,' to the flowing 'liquid,' and further crystallizing into the solid 'entity.'
The implantation occurs at the 'liquid' stage, where there's an entity yet to crystallize, still possessing a malleable form. It's during this stage that we implant and cover the 'Alchemy Matrix,' and once the coverage is successful, the ritual concludes.
Human souls cannot be restrained; therefore, after the ritual ends, our souls halt this Condensation process, reverting from 'liquid' back into nothingness - 'gas,' but this time, they're accompanied by the 'Alchemy Matrix.'
At this point, Geoffrey recalled something and reminded Bologue.
"You previously asked me about the origin of Soul Shards. Part of the speculation arises from here.
The production of these shards is due to the 'loss' that occurs during soul state change, which can also be explained through Condensation. The process requires the release of heat, and the released portion might just be the Soul Shards."
After speaking, Geoffrey swiftly picked up the hot soup that was about to cool down, taking several gulps, then wiped his mouth with a napkin.
"Is there anything else you're confused about?"
"Yes, although you describe it casually, interfering with and implanting into the soul sounds extremely risky," Bologue said.
"Yes, it's more than just risky. Even with the advancement of Alchemy, the process of implanting the 'Alchemy Matrix' is still full of uncertainties, and as I've mentioned before, the soul determines the body. Do you think, during the ceremony, when our souls are interfered with, our bodies will fare well?"
Geoffrey's voice was suppressed.
"There are frequent cases where the soul successfully accepts the 'Alchemy Matrix,' but the body breaks apart during the ceremony. Worse yet, the soul fails to bear the 'Alchemy Matrix,' resulting in direct soul collapse and death."
What Geoffrey had just told were countless gruesome examples, accumulated knowledge stained with blood.
"Is this why there are so few Field Operations Department staff?"
The risks are huge, yet Bologue remained highly interested in the implantation of the 'Alchemy Matrix.'
"That's part of the reason. Another is because field operations are indeed extremely high-risk. That's what I initially planned to tell you; you won't only face Demons but also those hostile Condensers who carry unique and unknown 'Secret Energy.'
"You should know, Bologue, that I am also a Condenser; I've just retired from active service," Geoffrey said, grinning slyly and speaking softly to Bologue, "If we were adversaries now, what would you do?"
Bologue glanced sideways at the nearby chair, speaking coldly, "I'd swing the chair and smash your head."
"Then what if my 'Secret Energy' prevents the target looking into my eyes from moving?"
Hearing this, Bologue tried to avert his gaze, but during the conversation, he had already looked at Geoffrey.
What met his eyes was Geoffrey's still friendly smile, though now it seemed to carry an icy edge.
"See, you're frozen," Geoffrey said, "I don't even need to control you completely; just stalling you for a few seconds allows me to take up a spoon and stab your throat."
"You must know, I was once a member of Field Operations. Although I've gained weight, the muscles are simply covered by fat," Geoffrey said, rolling up his sleeves to reveal an arm seemingly devoid of any muscle.
"But I'm an Undying Body," Bologue responded coldly.
"True, but I can repeatedly break your corpse, keeping you in a 'dead' state. As you've mentioned, multiple deaths in a short time lead to unconsciousness and incapacitation."
Silence.
After quite a while, Bologue had a revelation; he realized what his problem was. In this Extraordinary World, an Undying Body might be strong, but not absolutely so. He still had much to learn, and arrogance would only lead to his downfall.
"I understand what you mean," Bologue nodded seriously, with genuine sincerity.
"That's the battle between Condensers, much like rock-paper-scissors, probing, guessing the opponent's 'Secret Energy' to find vulnerabilities and deliver a fatal strike."
Geoffrey acknowledged Bologue's attitude. The fact that Bologue, who displayed some mental issues, could sincerely listen to his advice was indeed somewhat remarkable for Geoffrey.
"The strong rule, but survival is of the fit.
This is a saying that's been circulating within the Order Bureau for a long time, the battles Condensers face are full of deceit and eeriness.
In most cases, we don't know what kind of enemy we'll face, how many there are, or what kind of 'Secret Energy' they possess. All we can do is adapt, be flexible, and in constant trial and error, discover the enemy's weak point, then slit his throat."
When Geoffrey spoke of these things, his eyes darkened quite a bit, seemingly recalling battles of his early years.
"Information is life," Bologue stated, comprehending the truth behind Geoffrey's words.
"Exactly," Geoffrey nodded in approval.
"So..." Bologue recalled Geoffrey's earlier 'hypothetical,' suspiciously eyeing this fellow who had moved from field operations to logistics, "Is your 'Secret Energy' effect really only 'hypothetical' as you described?"
Geoffrey smiled, using the phrase Bologue had just mentioned, retorting back to him.
"Information is life."