It was getting late.
The expedition finally decided to make camp near the corridor in the Chapel. Although Li Wei had blasted a huge hole in its roof, the sturdy walls still sheltered them from the wind. Most of the monsters' bodies had been completely consumed by the flames, leaving only a few unlucky specimens Annie had dragged aside to analyze and compare.
With nothing better to do, Li Wei also told Annie the story of King Solomon.
"So, Mr. Li Wei, you mean these monsters used to be human?"
The scalpel in Annie's hand never stopped moving. As she spoke, she deftly sliced open a monster's skin. Her expression never changed either, as though this were as natural as an office worker typing on a computer, drinking coffee, and chatting at work.
"What do you think? Do you believe magic exists?"
"That depends on how you define magic itself."
Annie set down her scalpel and pulled the skin over the monster's abdomen apart.
"As far as I'm concerned, the abilities of Lady Baskerville's little dog are quite 'magical' too."
"What do you think magic is?"
Li Wei looked at Annie curiously. In his world, people always regarded magic as fantasy, or as some sort of irrational superstition born of ignorance.
"In my opinion, magic might be a form of energy capable of changing a living creature's outward characteristics..."
"Energy?"
"Exactly. Fire is a form of energy too, and we both know that when someone gets burned, the injured area doesn't return to its original state. It remains burned. From that perspective, fire, as a form of energy, changes certain physical characteristics of the human body."
"That does make a certain amount of sense. You think magic works the same way?"
"Exactly."
Annie carefully reached in with her gloved hands