Chapter 286 - Taboo Bookstore
Chapter 286 of "Exploring Technology in a Wizard World" opens with exciting events: Chapter 286: Chapter 285 Taboo Bookstore Chapter 286: Chapter 285 Taboo Bookstore The bookstore that... Continue reading!
Chapter 286: Chapter 285 Taboo Bookstore Chapter 286: Chapter 285 Taboo Bookstore The bookstore that appeared before Richard looked very dilapidated and outdated, as if it hadnât been repaired for many yearsâthe exterior walls were crumbling, and the door was shaky. Above the door, the words on the sign were also blurred. Richard slowly read the words above:âTaboo⊠Bookstore.â
Yes, this was a bookstore that sold all kinds of imaginable books, scrolls, treasure maps, personal handbooks, and everything related to text. It was Great Scholar Socrates who had recommended Richard to come here.
Richardâs eyes flickered, and he stepped toward the bookstore. Just as he was about to step through the door, a pair of thick, shaggy, black-haired arms, without any warning, reached out from inside and blocked him.
Next, an imposing black man, resembling a bear standing up from behind the door, revealed himself, like a mountain rising.
Richard looked at the nearly two-meter-tall figure and felt that among all the people he had met recently, perhaps only Baki, with whom he had recently been playing, could match him.
The black man looked down from above and asked in a buzzing voice, âWho are you? What do you want? Do you know what place this is?â The tone was quite rude and carried a heavy caution.
Clearly, this bookstore was not the same as other stalls and shops; there were strict restrictions on customersâit was not a place anyone could enter casually.
In fact, there were only two ways to enter this bookstore:
First, be recommended by some important figure.
Second, be recommended by an official patron of the bookstore.
Richard glanced at the black man, said little, and simply took out a note from his sleeve and handed it over.
The black man took the note, scanned it quickly, and saw a line written: âI guarantee with my reputation that this person is eligible to enter your esteemed storeâSocrates.â
This was Great Scholar Socratesâs recommendation. Maybe the other party was not a powerful wizard or a high-born noble, but in certain areas of White Stone City, he was not to be underestimated, definitely considered one of the important figures.
After reading the note, the black man made a âhurumphâ sound, mumbling something under his breath, then handed the note back, moved aside, and said in a deep voice, âAlright, youâre qualified. Come in. But since itâs your first time, I need to tell you the rules.
First, you can look at all the books, but you are not allowed to pick them up unless you are ready to buy them.
Second, if you want to buy a book, make sure you have enough money prepared in advance because bargaining is not allowed here.
Third, after buying your book, hurry out and donât randomly mention the existence of this bookstore to anyone who doesnât know this place.
Fourth, if you violate any of the rules I just mentioned, youâre going to be in big trouble!â
After finishing, the black man asked in a stern voice, âUnderstood?â
Richard nodded lightly.
âThatâs good,â the black man said, completely stepping aside and letting Richard walk into the bookstore.
Richard walked in, only to discover an entirely different world inside.
Despite the dilapidation outside, the interior was tidy and clean with numerous candles lit up within lampshades, casting a bright yet soft light that bathed the whole shop in a warm orange hue.
Nestled in this warm glow, a multitude of bookshelves stood densely packed. Each shelf was divided into numerous little cubbies, each holding a book laid flat. These books were tied to the shelves with a red string encircling their spines, attached to a small brass bell. Should anyone attempt to remove a book from its cubby, a sound would emitâa rudimentary theft prevention mechanism.
This theft prevention mechanism, in Richardâs view, was far too simplistic. He thought that if he wanted to, he could use the Space Iron Ring to cut the sturdy red string, and place the red string, bell, and book all into the Ring, ensuring that no one would notice. Of course, he had no need to do such a thing. After all, he was here only to search for books that had come from the Black Spirit Empire.
At that moment in the bookstore, about a dozen people were browsing the shelves; Richard glanced around and walked towards a nearby shelf to start browsing as well.
Flicking through a book, Richard discovered it was about potion-making. The contents were horrifically sinister.
One recipe recorded within, named the Joyful Potion, claimed to aid wizards in restoring their mana and shockingly, required the bodies of six-month-old fetuses yet unborn in their mothersâ wombs, along with human brains. Not to mention the ethics of it, the ingredients alone were something most individuals couldnât stomach.
Another potion labeled as Eternal Youth Spring Water was even stranger. It purported to preserve a womanâs appearance at her most beautiful indefinitely until her death. However, it required the warm blood of at least 72 virgins, with a specific note stating that the more virgin blood utilized, the better the effect.
These potion formulas inevitably reminded Richard of the infamous âBlood Countess,â Elizabeth Bathory, from modern Earth. It was said that her secret to maintaining beauty and eternal youth for decades was virgin bloodâbathing in it and drinking it, resulting in the death of over a thousand pure and beautiful young girls.
Quickly perusing through the book titled âYabadi Potion Secret Record,â Richard understood what sort of place this bookstore was and why it was called the Taboo Bookstore.
Books like the âYabadi Potion Secret Recordâ being considered forbidden was no surprise. After all, while most wizards in the current world held little regard for human life, they still claimed to be righteous and often shunned overly sinister spells and relentlessly combated cruel acts.
Thus, a bookstore harboring a vast array of books like the âYabadi Potion Secret Recordâ was indeed a den of iniquity, aptly named the Taboo Bookstore.
Thinking so, Richard continued to browse through the other books on the shelves, speaking to himself while searching for the specific book he wanted.
ââOgre Cuisine,â this isnât it.â
ââHuman TreasureâHow to Cook a Liver,â no, this isnât it either.â
ââOn Hundred Ways to Cook an Infant,â why are they all of the same genre?â
Shaking his head, Richard moved to another shelf, continuing to browse.
ââLove and ConquestâMaking a Woman Your Slave,â thisâŠâ
ââDelicious PunishmentâMaking the Whip a Source of Joy,â thisâŠâ
ââUniversal LoveâIn this World, Not Only Women But Beasts Can Release Your Animal Nature,â thisâŠâ
Richard switched shelves again, then again, and yet againâŠ
After quite some time and nearly going through all the bookshelves in the store, Richard finally spotted the book he was searching for.
In a small wooden cubby, a somewhat worn book lay open, flipped precisely to the last page, where a symbol of the Black Spirit Empire was distinctly markedâa triangle, a circle, and a vertical line.