"Neutering?" Gwen froze for a moment, then looked at the Beagle on the lab table with an odd expression.
"Although I've never done it before, as long as we stop the bleeding the instant it's cut off, it'll be fine."
The Beagle on the lab table unconsciously trembled, whether because of the genetic regeneration or because it sensed some inexplicable malice.
"Then do it. After it's neutered, it won't be peeing and barking all over the lab anymore." Merlin stepped aside.
"We're really neutering it? Does its owner know?" Gwen eagerly approached with an anesthetic needle and scalpel, though she still asked uncertainly.
"We're doing this for the dog's health. It's fine." Merlin waved dismissively.
Hearing that, Gwen did not ask any more questions. She first anesthetized the Beagle, then began preparing the disinfecting supplies.
Although the Beagle had been injected with Regeneration Potion, if its balls were cut off and the wound sealed, along with the anesthetic's effects, they might not grow back.
After dealing with the Beagle, Merlin and Gwen immersed themselves in the Serum research again.
The next morning, Brooklyn District.
"Ugh..." John, lying on the cold floor, clutched his blood-covered head and sucked in a sharp breath before slowly sitting up.
As if he had remembered something, he immediately staggered to his feet and scanned the living room, but did not see his beloved dog.
He crouched down and dipped a finger into some blood. It was his dog's blood.
He recalled the hazy scene from last night: several Russian Gang thugs had beaten his Beagle to the ground with baseball bats, then provocatively tossed it in front of him.
His long period of comfort had made him forget his sense of danger. He had actually allowed a few street punks to track him down and ambush him at home.
The cause of the conflict was that they had taken a liking to his Ford Mustang.
John immediately left the living room and searched his villa, but still could not find his dog's body.
Looking at the shattered front door and the empty garage, he frowned.
"Bzz bzz..." Suddenly, the phone in his pocket vibrated twice.
He took it out to check, but when he saw the message, he narrowed his eyes in confusion.
"R-Star..." It was a software push notification.
But he had never downloaded that app on his phone.
"What exactly happened last night?" With a headache, he returned to the living room and sat on the sofa. What had happened last night did not seem so simple.
He tried hard to recall it, but aside from the Russian Gang thugs breaking into his home, he remembered nothing else.
In the end, he turned his attention to the app that had suddenly appeared on his phone. Perhaps it had something to do with what happened after he lost consciousness last night.
He opened the app, but before he could look at its interface, the message that popped up at the top made his heart jolt.
[Merlin's Beard: Destroy the Russian Gang.]
[Reward: One million]
[The Russian Gang has committed countless crimes in Brooklyn District... Well, their young master actually tried to run me over yesterday, so I figured their gang didn't need to exist anymore.]
[Oh, and I already saved your poor dog. I also neutered it while I was at it. Remember to bring the money...]
[My God, that's a huge favor.]
Below the string of messages was an address: Merlin's Custom Shop in Hell's Kitchen.
Hearing that his beloved dog was still alive, John felt a surge of excitement. After his wife's death, the Beagle she had left behind was what he cared about most. It was the only thing she had left for him to hold onto.
After calming himself slightly, he cleaned the wound on his head, then smashed open a long-sealed weapons case in the basement. After taking several weapons for protection, he headed to Merlin's Custom Shop.
Hell's Kitchen, Merlin's Custom Shop.
Looking at the closed rolling shutter and the sign beside it that read Closed, John fell silent for a moment before walking to a small side door and knocking.
"Knock knock knock..." As the knocking sounded, John cautiously retreated a few steps. His hand quietly found the grip of his pistol, ready for anything unexpected.
"Woof woof woof!!!" Before the door opened, a familiar bark suddenly sounded from inside.
It was his dog.
"Duke! Is that you? Thank God, you're really alive." Hearing the barking, he called out excitedly, and his tension eased considerably.
"Ah... so noisy. I just fell asleep." Along with a youthful boy's voice and approaching footsteps, the small door quickly opened.
When John saw the overly young boy before him, he could not help but freeze for a moment. However, he did not lower his guard. Instead, he looked past him toward the dog in the cage, which was barking excitedly without stopping.
It was Duke.
"Come in first."
John glanced at the completely unguarded Merlin, then at his beloved dog, before entering the room.
"Didn't bring a gift?" Merlin sat on the sofa, looking as if he had just woken up, his hair messy and his eyes bleary.
John: "..."
He felt a little awkward. Since the other party had saved his dog, showing up empty-handed did seem inappropriate.
But the awkwardness lasted only a moment. What he most wanted now was to understand the situation and the purpose of the boy before him.
"Who are you?"
"Merlin Shaw, owner of this shop. I happened to pass by your house last night and rescued your beloved dog while I was at it."
"However, the Regeneration Potion injected into its body has some side effects, so it needs to be observed for a few more days."
John thought back, but he could not recall ever having any connection with the person before him.
However, hearing that the potion might have side effects made him worried. He quickly walked over to his dog.
When the Beagle saw its owner, it became exceptionally excited. It kept throwing itself against the cage, producing a series of loud clatters. The iron cage shook violently along with it, as though it would fall apart at any moment.
John was startled as well. His dog seemed much stronger than before, and its fur faintly glowed green. Its claws and teeth now resembled those of a lion.
Looking closer, its whole body had become much more ferocious, as if it had undergone some kind of genetic modification.
Fortunately, the affection in its eyes toward him had not diminished at all.
"What happened to Duke?" John turned back and asked. He could tell Merlin bore little ill intent, so he relaxed considerably.
"You know about the Lizardman everyone's been talking about recently, right? It was injected with the same Regeneration Potion."
"Otherwise, all you'd be seeing now is its little tombstone."
"Lizardman, Regeneration Potion..." Although John lived in seclusion, he still knew about major news in Apple City.
"Don't forget to go home and raise the money. A Regeneration Potion that brings the dead back to life isn't cheap."
Before you continue