Replies denouncing [Ging] as an impostor instantly surged to over a hundred. Who knows what this ID had done to make so many forum's users immediately attack him the moment he showed up.
Law specifically opened the profile of this ID to take a look.
ID: Ging.
Level: Lv99.
Rank: Legend.
Assets: 684,551.
Activity: 3,544.
Seeing this profile, Law was shocked, 'A max-level forum account with terrifyingly high asset and activity values… this perfectly matched Ging's identity as a seasoned internet addict. But why did every forum user say he was a fake?'
In just the time it took Law to process this thought, the number of replies exploded to two hundred, pushing the post to the second spot in the trending replies, right below [NotUglyButGentle].
Immediately after, another a well-known expert with max-level ID appeared.
[Nighthawk: Looking at the achievements, aside from Law's actual appearance and personal details, the fields involved roughly include the following: Poison Hunter, Blacklist Hunter, Botanical Hunter, Beast Hunter, Gourmet Hunter, and Nen Exorcist.]
[So, may I ask the original poster for their insights on the relationship between Nightmare Flowers and Nightmare Grass?]
In a tightly curtained room, the only source of light was the glow from a computer screen. A middle-aged man wearing thick black-framed glasses typed rapidly on the keyboard.
This person was [Nighthawk] on the forum, a top-tier user in terms of level and reputation. In real life, he was a professor at the world-renowned Babade University, specializing in botany.
He had published multiple hypotheses that had since been verified, earning him considerable prestige.
However, this was the Hunter Forum, so no one knew Night Hawk's real identity.
In truth, the question he had just posed remained an unsolved challenge in academic circles and was currently the focus of his research team.
Seeing Nighthawk throw out such a well-known difficult question, the spectating forum users grew excited. They eagerly replied under Nighthawk's post, pushing it to the top of the trending replies, where it became the most visible post in the thread.
'Finally, someone reliable.'
Law's eyes lit up. He directly ignored the post by [Ging] and replied under [Nighthawk]'s: [Are the Nightmare Flowers and Nightmare Grass you mentioned the plants from the Demon Realm's Forest of No Return?]
Seeing Law's reply, the forum users waited eagerly, hoping for the various experts to come out and thoroughly expose this impostor, beating him into oblivion… unlike that tumor [Ging], who had somehow survived and even reached Legend status.
In his room, the middle-aged man sneered and muttered, "These two plants are extremely rare and uniquely named. They only exist in the Forest of No Return. To ask such a stupid question is undoubtedly the mark of a fake."
After saying this, he typed out a low-key reply:
[Yes.]
Seeing this, Law pondered how to respond.
The Forest of No Return was one of the places he and Linne had visited. He had also encountered Nightmare Flowers and Nightmare Grass there, and those two plants had left a deep impression on him.
Nightmare Flowers were single-petaled black skeletal blooms growing on leafless Nightmare Trees. To the local residents of the Forest of No Return, they were omens of misfortune.
Nightmare Grass, on the other hand, grew beneath Nightmare Trees, it's a single-bladed black finger-like grass.
The flower could relieve worries, and the grass could sharpen the mind.
These were the effects of Nightmare Flowers and Nightmare Grass, with the drawback of being somewhat addictive.
Simply put, the flower was one of the materials used to produce drugs, while the grass had effects similar to caffeine, serving as a stimulant.
The local indigenous people despised Nightmare Trees, but outsiders coveted the flowers on them, as they were a hot-selling material on the black market.
Law organized his thoughts and used the relationship between 'Mother' and 'Child' to explain the connection between Nightmare Flowers and Nightmare Grass.
He also described processes like taking root and blooming in simple, easy-to-understand language.
Additionally, Law revealed the top-tier use of Nightmare Grass… it could be used to cure drug addiction. However, he didn't disclose the method, as this was a hidden business opportunity he had no intention of sharing.
As an aside, the cigarettes Law currently smoked were made from Nightmare Grass. Using the method he derived from White Smoke Font, he eliminated their addictive properties, turning them into pure stimulants.
For example, after seven days without sleep, smoking one could extend wakefulness for another three days. This made them suitable for a variety of uses, including military applications, where their effects would be highly valuable.
When Law's lengthy post went up, everyone watching, including Nighthawk, was stunned.
[Can the experts verify if this is real?]
[This actually sounds legit… Could this be the real deal?]
[No way. Even the research team at Babade University, after a year of work, hasn't made any progress. This impostor is just spouting nonsense.]
[Hey, if you're going to call the original poster a liar, at least bring some solid evidence. Just denying it outright isn't a good look.]
[Wait… Is [Law38] actually the real Law?]
[Don't joke around. An unsolved problem without definitive proof, no matter how much he says, can only be considered a hypothesis until verified.]
The onlookers were all riled up because the lengthy post Law had written, even to those with little knowledge of botany, seemed highly technical upon reading.
Nighthawk stared at his computer screen, his pupils trembling, his hands hovering over the keyboard shaking slightly.
About 30% of the information in the reply from the ID [Law38] matched the results his research team had painstakingly uncovered over a year. The claim that they had made no progress was just a cover for the public.
In other words, regardless of whether the remaining 70% of Law38's statements were correct, the 30% that aligned with their findings was undeniably accurate.
"The real deal?"
Night Hawk's lips twitched as he muttered those words. Without bothering to reply further, he copied Law's lengthy post and pasted it into his research team's private chat group.
Then, he stood up, quickly gathered his things, and rushed out the door.
He needed… to verify this as soon as possible.
Back on the forum, countless users were calling for Nighthawk's response, but whether he had fallen into the toilet or not, fifteen minutes passed without a peep from him.
Everyone knew Nighthawk was a true expert in the botany section, with over two thousand successfully resolved posts under his belt.
Yet now, for some reason, he had gone silent.
With Nighthawk remaining quiet, some users began to wonder, 'Could Law38's claims actually be true?'
Law found this odd and independently replied: [I am Law, do you have any questions?]
The endlessly scrolling thread fell silent for several seconds. Then, one challenging question after another, spanning multiple fields, was thrown at him.
At this moment, the Hunter Forum was experiencing a long-lost surge of excitement. People from all over the world were watching this unfold through their screens… an unprecedented free exchange of knowledge, an opportunity not to be missed!
Among the Zodiacs, the Poison Hunter, Gel, the Botanical Hunter, Cluck, the Paleograph Hunter, Pyon, and many other members of the Association were drawn to this trending thread.
"Looks like I'm in for a busy time."
Law sighed softly. If he wanted to achieve exclusive verification, this was just the beginning.
Click-clack!
His fingers flew across the keyboard as he responded to each of the challenging questions he knew the answers to.
In the office area, Sabro watched with amusement and cheered, "Go, go."
Law ignored him, focusing entirely on his replies.
An hour later, his phone rang.
Law stopped typing and picked up his phone. It was Ging's private number, so he answered casually.
"That [Law38] on the forum who's currently crushing all the experts… is that you?"
"Yeah." Law replied, then suddenly asked, "That ID everyone's calling a fake… don't tell me that's you?"
"Yep." Ging said lazily.
"You've got too much free time, huh?" Law felt speechless, 'If those people ever found out the 'fake' they were attacking was actually the real deal, I wonder how they'd react.'
Ging changed the subject and asked, "Why'd you suddenly show up on the forum?"
"To promote the Lawlin Museum. Anyway, I'm busy. Talk later."
With that, Law hung up the phone.
…
Greed Island, GM Control Room.
Ging put away his phone. He and Elena were watching the live broadcast of [Law38] dismantling every expert on the forum through a virtual screen.
"That guy's getting even more ridiculous." Ging remarked.
Elena, the silver-haired girl wearing a peculiar helmet, asked curiously, "Is that really Law?"
"Yeah."
Ging nodded in confirmation.