Mechanical Alchemist

Su Lun and the other two stayed in the apartment without going out, waiting to see how the situation in Old Lington would change today. Last night's battle had been so intense in the northern affluent district that mansions and luxurious estates were largely destroyed, leaving a scene of devastation. On the other hand, although many people died in the southern commoners' area, the damage to the city itself wasn't as severe. With the dawn, light dispersed the darkness and fear. People who had been frightened all night gradually took to the streets to start cleaning up the rubble and the bodies of the undead zombies. Steam-powered vehicles hauled away the rocks, and jets of water washed away the crimson, and even the small vendors who sold fruits and vegetables were still opening their doors for business… As long as people were alive, life must go on. Although last night's catastrophe had almost caused the collapse of all public departments in Ling Dun, the response from the provisional congress was fast and extremely efficient. Before long, mounted police had already appeared on the streets, maintaining post-disaster law and order and the confidence of the citizens. ... After battling all night, Su Lun felt his stomach was empty. There was no hope of heading to a restaurant just yet, but luckily, the war workshop in the small void realm had chefs and ample food supplies. Su Lun casually set a sumptuous breakfast on the dining table in the apartment. The three of them sat down at the table, even the ghostly lady occupied a seat, even though she didn't need to eat. Just about to have their meal, at that moment, Mr. Jing seemed to think of something and glanced at Su Lun. Immediately getting the hint, Su Lun smiled and said, "I'll be right back." Downstairs was a guest who wasn't exactly a guest. He had actually sensed her earlier; after the meeting dispersed, Pandora had walked out, taken a round, and then lingered downstairs. It seemed she was hesitant, not knowing where to go or perhaps reconsidering, as if she had something to come back to say. She hadn't made up her mind, and Su Lun didn't want to disturb her. Since it was breakfast time, he thought to invite her up. Su Lun opened the door and walked out, going downstairs, where he spotted Pandora standing at the balcony on the second floor, catching the breeze. Although cloaked, he could still make out half of her strikingly beautiful face. Compared to the last time he saw her, Su Lun distinctly felt that the fluctuations in her soul were much stronger, and the divine and transcendent aura around her was growing more ethereal. She leaned against the white stone railing, blending into the city's backdrop as if she were a beautiful figure in an oil painting, to be admired from a distance but never touched, exuding aloofness and mystery. But Su Lun also knew that Miss Pandora wasn't as indifferent as she seemed. In fact, she was quite easy to get along with. He walked over and greeted her with a smile, "Miss Pandora, if you haven't had breakfast, may I invite you to join us for a meal?" The tone wasn't unfamiliar, more like hailing a friend. After all, having studied her body, it was impossible to be strangers, even after a long absence. Pandora took off her cloak, the wind ruffling her hair, and a flawless face lit up with a soft smile, "No, thank you. I came back just to tell you something." Waiting for me? Su Lun was slightly surprised. But even that shallow smile, brimming with charm, made him instinctively twitch at the corner of his eye. Su Lun remembered falling for it the last time they parted on the ship. Pandora saw his fleeting unnatural expression and responded with a meaningful smile. However, this time she wasn't up to any bewitching technique pranks, instead, she pointed at the briefcase beside her and said, "This is for you. Please keep it safe for me." Su Lun looked at her with a hint of surprise in his question: "Oh?" He hadn't opened it, but he guessed that it was probably the Faith Stele inside. Such divine artifacts containing high-level laws couldn't be stored in a storage space, and had to be carried personally. Last night, the elimination of the "Sea Giant Clarence" was made much easier thanks to Pandora's appearance. Since the stele was of no use to anyone else, it naturally ended up in her hands. There was still the residual Power of Faith from the Outer God on it, which was highly beneficial to her. That's why Su Lun was puzzled—why would she entrust him with its safekeeping? To his great surprise, Pandora revealed another startling request. She said, "This stele is a divine talisman of an Ancient God, far superior to the previous one that carried faith for me. It holds greater potential for the future. I have entrusted my very own divine soul to this stele. Now, I am also a God of Disaster, and those former followers of the Outer God have become my followers too, and they won't cause any more trouble..." Su Lun listened with a slightly changed expression. Although he had known about her ability for a while, hearing that she had become a God of Disaster still stirred some emotions within him. He always thought that the "Faith Stealing" ability that his teacher couple had given to Miss Pandora was a super BUG. The phony gods struggle for eons, recruiting followers painstakingly to accumulate faith, and she simply steals it away. Having a better divine talisman to choose, it was normal for her to switch... But in an instant, a flash of insight crossed his mind. Su Lun's expression immediately froze. Eh... something's not right! If she considered this stele as her divine talisman, why would she entrust me with its safekeeping? A divine talisman is like the "life gate" of a deity following the divine path—before they congeal their divine nature, this is their most critical vulnerability. Just like before, that Outer God clearly had the power to fight, even possessing an immortal body. But it was only after its divine talisman was found that the tables were swiftly turned. Giving it to someone else—isn't that like handing over one's life? Now, Pandora was also a member of the Dawn group, an alchemical construct made by his own teacher, and had a good relationship with Mr. Jing... Still, even with all that considered, Su Lun felt it shouldn't be the case. And why me, of all people? Even if she truly had to entrust someone with it, Mr. Jing would seem a more appropriate choice by any account. Pandora obviously guessed Su Lun's thoughts and explained, "I've been thinking it over carefully, and now that the plane invasion is a certainty, the future looks very grim. But as long as this stele exists, I won't die. However, higher deities have the ability to investigate the source of faith. If a True God descends, my situation will become very dangerous..." With this explanation, Su Lun instantly understood. The discovery of the previous Outer God stele was detected by Pestoya's Soul Perception. Therefore, no matter where it was hidden, being discovered would be fatal. Pandora continued, "I don't feel safe leaving the stele anywhere else, but your little void realm can prevent faith investigation. Hence, I'm entrusting it to you." "..." Upon hearing this, Su Lun realized that this was the reason. No wonder she made such a decision. Although he said that, Su Lun still felt that something was off. It was indeed safe, but wasn't Pandora effectively handing over the keys to her life gate prematurely? Didn't that mean... That she could be threatened with it, compelled to do anything, and she wouldn't be able to refuse? Even though Su Lun didn't harbor any strange ideas. But as the plot had progressed this far, he couldn't help but draw such a conclusion in his mind. Pandora, noticing his momentary distraction, with her beautiful eyes sparkling, held a barely perceptible smile at the corner of her lips. That smile, as if she had seen through someone's runaway thoughts, yet appeared completely unconcerned. She then asked, "Can you do me this favor?" Trust can sometimes be just a thought. She was, after all, an alchemical being, existing in solitude. For a long thousand years, it seemed only now that she felt some ties to this world. Since Pandora trusted her so much, coupled with various entanglements, Su Lun naturally couldn't refuse, and replied, "Of course." As he spoke, he took the box related to Pandora's life and stored it inside the little void world. Although it was a entrusted task, Su Lun still asked, "Would you like to have breakfast together?" Pandora shook her head, pulling her cloak back up, "No need. I must return to the four nations of the Northern Continent, where the foundation of faith is not yet solid. If you need to contact me, just let me know with the communicator, and my spiritual will can always descend upon the stele." "Oh." Su Lun, listening, still politely waved goodbye and courteously said, "Then take care, Miss Pandora." Pandora smiled faintly, turned to leave, but suddenly seemed to remember something, and added, "Once I've assimilated the power of faith I've obtained, my true form will probably be able to descend onto the stele as well. If necessary, you can also summon me with necromancy." "Hmm..." Su Lun listened and nodded. But upon reflection, something seemed amiss. There was nothing wrong with her words, but paired with the subtle smile she gave as she looked back, it suddenly felt like there was some other implication. What could her true form do upon descending? Could it... study the alchemical body? Another look, and the person had already vanished from sight. But thinking of research, Su Lun was indeed very interested in Pandora's alchemical body. The more he understood about alchemy, the more he felt that Pandora's body itself was a great treasure. Just then, a ghostly figure floated out beside Su Lun. He had noticed that this spectral miss had been curiously peeking all along. Pestoya, resting her chin in her hand, looked toward the corner where Pandora had disappeared and said, "I quite like that Miss Pandora." Curious, Su Lun asked, "Why is that?" Pestoya replied, "No particular reason. I just feel she's very approachable." Su Lun listened and smiled. ... Meanwhile, the opposition led by Duke Raphael successfully took over all of Luying's political power. The royal Ponar family had completely lost its supreme royal authority. The three of the previously six senior councilors had been almost completely exterminated, and without political rivals, administrative efficiency increased a great deal. Although Ling Dun had experienced an unprecedented disaster, the reconstruction work continued in an orderly fashion. Although there was a slight mishap when Queen Charlotte opened a space-time portal, it seemed to have no effect for the moment. After all, the space-time portal was too remote for everyone. Not everyone knew what it meant and the serious consequences it would bring, like Mr. Jing did. Even if a minority guessed that it spelled catastrophic disaster for the plane, they would not speak up about it. The topic of plane invasion, a cause of despair, could not be reversed by human efforts. Life must go on, and spreading panic serves no purpose. The priority was to determine some future power divisions in Luying. Frederic Royal Palace had already been overtaken by the opposition. At this moment, within a sealed room, Queen Charlotte sat on a chair in a daze. All her jewelry had been taken away, and every facility in the room had been meticulously inspected. It was like a cage. But after all, she was royalty, and no one dared to subject her to private punishment. Even though her crimes were sufficient to send her to the gallows a hundred times over, it would only be after a trial. When she came to her senses, Queen Charlotte realized she had become a prisoner. Thinking about what she had just done, she seemed to regret it somewhat. I just intended to threaten those people, why did I act so impulsively... She knew it was all too late. She once held supreme authority and now had lost it completely; the bitterness was overwhelming. Queen Charlotte stared at the ceiling in a daze. Unexpectedly, at that moment, a hole appeared in the ceiling, and a young man bathed in Holy Light descended like a god incarnate, gradually landing on the cashmere carpet in the room. The guards outside the door were completely unaware of the intruder in the room. Queen Charlotte's expression was one of shock; before she could comprehend who this person was, she noticed the vertical pupil opening on the intruder's forehead. That eye seemed to possess a bewitching power, making one lose consciousness immediately. After a while, the triclops retracted his hand from Queen Charlotte's head, as if he had obtained the information he wanted. However, his brows furrowed, and he muttered to himself, "The God-Blocking Coffin that seals the Ancient God indeed ended up in possession of the Bonaparte royal family, but it has been lost for several hundred years? Suspected to have vanished along with the Mirror Image Library? 'Phantom Thief' Kit...isn't that a member of the Dawn organization?" After collecting the soul, the triclops was initially pleased, thinking he had completed the task effortlessly. He did confirm the information, but the object had disappeared. The only valuable intelligence was that the disappearance of the Mirror Image Library hundreds of years ago had been first discovered by the previously famous 'Phantom Thief' Curtis M. Kit in Ling Dun. As something dawned on him, his eyes shifted and he murmured, "Seems like that 'Hanged Man Tarot card' is also in that Kit's hands... tsk, tsk, saves me the trouble of looking for someone." Saying this, there was no longer a figure in the room. Queen Charlotte still sat on the chair in a stupor, her eyes now devoid of any spirit. ... Su Lun and his companions stayed at the apartment, and by noon, the Ling Dun City News had been printed. The contents of the newspaper focused on last night's catastrophe. Using the tone of the victors, it described a series of consequences caused by the support of the Faith Freedom Act, along with Red Plague, Crimson Potion, and so on... all depicted as conspiracies of the royal family and several Senior Councilors. Reading this paper gave the impression that the old woman of the Bonaparte dynasty was the incarnation of a demon. This newspaper was not only for residents of Ling Dun but also aimed to neutralize the influence of those political adversaries across Emperor Luying's territories. Naturally, it omitted the political maneuvering behind this great disaster. But that wasn't important anymore. After all, it was the truth, and it had already passed. Another piece of major news was that Duke Raphael had been elected Congress Speaker and concurrently appointed Interim Sovereign of the Empire of Luying. Then this Sovereign ordered the immediate repeal of all faith-related acts, and at once began a citywide hunt to execute followers of foreign deities' cults, destroy their religious structures, and eradicate the breeding ground for these cults. All in all, it was pretty much as expected. On the sofa, Su Lun and his two companions were reading the newspaper. Qian Tiao, seeing Raphael become the Interim Sovereign, couldn't help but speak out sarcastically, "Duke Raphael hid his capabilities deeply indeed. Even in the fierce battle last night, he only brought out a hundred thousand mechanical warriors. But after his victory, several hundred thousand-strong mechanical legions suddenly emerged in the city... Heh!" "Indeed." Su Lun echoed the sentiment, "Rich and powerful... The manufacturing cost of mechanical warriors on this scale is simply astronomical. I have no idea just how wealthy Rafael must be." He too saw the sinister strategy behind it, concealing military strength clearly meant even allies were not fully trusted. However, one had to admit that Rafael indeed had the power to overwhelm his peers in military strength. A few years ago, PX911 was still a laboratory-level mechanical warrior, but now it had been mass-produced in astonishing quantities. Although the power of a single super mechanical warrior was only at the third or fourth tier, what did hundreds of thousands signify? This was almost enough to sweep across any lordship in Emperor Luying's dominion. Mass-produced mechanical warriors have far greater advantages than traditional knights who take one or two decades to cultivate. As for battle losses, as long as the materials still exist, they can be recycled. The other notables dared not confront Rafael directly. Upon hearing this, Qiantiao suddenly perked up, turning to Su Lun with a gleam in her eyes, "Didn't you say before that Rafael has a secret base on Prospector Sea Island? How about we go raid it?" Stirred by the pirate blood in his veins, Su Lun also responded, "We can try." The group had emerged from the slave mines of Old Lington, and they harbored no goodwill towards Duke Rafael. Moreover, after the several assassination attempts by young master William, with Duke Rafael having a hand in them, a deadly feud had been cemented. If they were to raid, Su Lun would carry no psychological burden whatsoever. Mr. Jing, who had been listening to the two conspiring, only smiled without saying a word. He scrutinized the content of the newspaper carefully, seemingly pondering over what else to write. ... He had read the newspaper and almost all the news he had been waiting for had arrived. They weren't interested in the chaos of Ling Dun, and they planned to leave today for certain. But Mr. Jing wasn't in a hurry to leave, as if he was still waiting for some news that his perception told him was on its way. Su Lun and Qiantiao were not in a rush either, already plotting on the sofa. However, just at that moment, Mr. Jing abruptly stopped flipping through the newspaper, her gaze intensifying, "They're here!" Su Lun didn't know to whom she referred but sensed something too. Through his Soul Perception, a very distinct soul fluctuation appeared at the bottom of the apartment building. The crow on his shoulder cawed loudly, indicating that the visitor did not come with good intentions. Qiantiao's hand also rested on the hilt of her sword. No knocking was heard despite the familiarity. A hole suddenly appeared in the wall of the room, and the uninvited guest entered with an air of arrogance. He seemed to know that Mr. Jing was an eighth-tier professional, yet there wasn't the slightest hint of fear on his face, only a condescending scrutiny. "Hey, hey, hey, you're quite rude. Ever heard of knocking before entering..." Qiantiao was not one to indulge such impoliteness. Her sword heart was clear, able to distinguish good from evil just by sensing the aura. "Clang," the sword was drawn from its scabbard. She performed a lightning-fast Iai Slash, sending a blade of Sword Qi slicing through the air. Yet, a bizarre scene unfolded before them. As the Sword Qi cut through the air with a "whoosh," the newcomer's vertical pupil in his brow tightened, and the Sword Qi disappeared completely! It wasn't blocked, nor dodged, it just completely disappeared without a trace! "How is this possible?" Su Lun's gaze slightly narrowed, and he felt greatly surprised in his heart. The scene before him exceeded his knowledge of conventional magic. How did this person do it? Even if that was just a casual slash from Qian Tian, it shouldn't have been blocked like that. It's as if... the Sword Qi was disintegrated? Arrogant as it may sound, this fellow really had the capital to be arrogant. Before he could wonder any longer, Mr. Jing seemed to have seen something and revealed the mystery, "[S-009-All Things True Solution]. Your talent is quite impressive." Upon hearing this, the pale young man with vertical pupils revealed a smug smile and proudly said, "The Dawn Leader truly has extraordinary insight. However, I must correct you, I have not only awakened the [All Things True Solution] divine talent, but I have also awakened my ancestral bloodline." While speaking, he looked Su Lun and the others up and down with his eyes from his forehead, speaking from a position of superiority, "Let me introduce myself. I am from the all-knowing and omnipotent 'Divine Race.' You guys are not weak, and you're qualified to know my name. Remember it well, my name is Frank McAdam, the only Saint Heir of the Divine Race in this plane." Listening to this sky-high self-introduction, Su Lun and the group started to find the situation somewhat amusing. So it was you who tampered with fate, leading to that old lady activating the plane's key? After this person revealed his identity, the atmosphere instantly became subtle. Despite his arrogance, the three of them were patient enough to continue watching his show. Su Lun, without changing his expression, used the All-knowing Eye to observe that the layer of Holy Light on Frank indeed seemed to be a symbol of divine protection. That means, this guy could summon the will of a deity. If it was a True God, he really did have the basis for such arrogance. For a moment, the room fell into an awkward silence. Frank thought they were unaware of the significance of the Divine Race and explained further, "Oh, you might not know what the great 'Divine Race' means. But you must have heard about what happened at the royal palace last night, right? The planar passageway opened by Queen Charlotte leads to my Divine Race's plane. Soon, my kin will arrive in this plane. Then, you will witness what true deities are!" "..." Su Lun seemed to understand. This supposed Saint Heir was not any great noble, lacking his own network of information. His source of news might also be incorrect and mixed reports from information merchants. He obviously didn't know Mr. Jing's daughter, Isaac, nor how the Dawn used certain methods to kill that outer god. He probably regarded the Dawn organization as just an ordinary civilian alchemical organization and considered Mr. Jing as some unsophisticated eighth-rank professional akin to King Oleg of the North Sea. The three remained silent, quietly watching, also curious to know what this "Divine Race" was all about. At this time, Mr. Jing asked in a tone devoid of any emotional fluctuations, "Then... what brings you here, sir?" Frank seemed to feel that there was no need for roundabout ways and directly said, "You are quite strong. I am in need of a few subordinates right now." Frank wasn't foolish. Although he had contacted his kin from the main plane, he knew full well that everything relied on strength and resources. Now, through the will of a deity from his ancestors, he had learned about the specialty of the Alchemy plane. Since he was in this "treasure house," he intended to gather as many resources and treasures as possible before his kin arrived. This way, he would have more say in the future. Of course, this was under the condition that he accomplished the investigation of a few treasures that his clan tasked him with. Su Lun and the group fell silent upon hearing this. So that was his game plan. Seeing Su Lun and the others still not expressing any stance, Frank felt something seemed off but continued, "If you stay loyal to me, I can provide you with ample resources for advancement." """ As he spoke, he looked at Mr. Jing and said indifferently, "You must be lacking the cosmic essence required for advancing to the ninth tier by now, right? Stick with me, and I can provide you with all the resources needed for the advancement to the ninth tier. I can even have my ancestor give you some pointers." He glanced at Su Lun and Qian Tiao, thinking about the intelligence he had garnered from the information dealer, and added, "As for you two, your talents aren't bad either. I guarantee that you can advance to the eighth tier." ... The terms offered were indeed tempting. Whether the cosmic essence could still be found in this plane was uncertain; this treasure that had stumped countless eighth-tier professionals was being offered so freely. This promise was not to be taken lightly. But after hearing this, Su Lun wasn't convinced that the guy was just talking big. Having seen a True God, they knew what Frank was offering wouldn't be difficult for a civilization with a divine tier. If it were someone else, they might have actually agreed. But them? How could they possibly agree! Frank had yet to realize that these three people before him would become deadly adversaries of their divine plane in the future. Mr. Jing seemed to guess something and continued to probe, "Then, what would we need to do if we agree?" Frank, thinking he had moved the other party with his recruitment terms, responded, "The 'Phantom Thief' Kit is a member of your organization, right? I want to know where he is now." Mr. Jing, unflustered, asked in return, "What business do you have with him, sir?" Hearing this disrespectful tone of questioning, Frank's face darkened immediately, and he said coldly, "That's not for you to ask. Just tell me where he is!" Mr. Jing uttered an "oh" and suddenly formed sorcerer's seals with his hands. Frank saw this and was not surprised. There was only a cold sneer on his face as he thought, "Hmph! Foolish!" He felt it was a good opportunity to show these people a thing or two, lest they not understand whom they were up against. However, the next second, before the scorn in his heart could fade, his expression dramatically changed! Mr. Jing's magician seals solidified in an instant, and with a single hand, he struck the ground: "Mirror Image·God-Blocking Barrier!" In an instant, the large room transformed into a house of mirrors, cutting off all external contact. This caused Frank to instantly lose his connection with the deities! ... They finally made their move! Su Lun felt a surge of excitement in his heart. Questioning this thing slowly was less efficient than killing and harvesting memories directly. The domain of death emerged around him, and the black scythe and dagger appeared simultaneously in his hands. Qian Tiao, on the other hand, reacted faster, drawing his sword and slashing in an Iai Slash move. The three of them coordinated their moves with great tacit understanding! This time it was the real deal. A flash of lightning-fast sword Qi sliced at the man's waist. The terrifying power of Qian Tiao's slash could even cleave through the seventh tier! If it hit, a bisected fate would most likely await. Surprisingly though, Frank's forehead pupil suddenly contracted, issuing a flash of white light, dissolving the sword Qi into nothing. "As expected! The 'All-solving True Revelation' can deconstruct matter back to a primordial state..." A chill went through Su Lun's heart; he now understood why the sword Qi had dissipated. Nevertheless, his own dagger and scythe, which carried the domain of death, also lashed out. Since it was a sneak attack, Frank couldn't dodge in time. He used his perpendicular pupil to break down the sword Qi, then turned to attempt to break down Su Lun's killing move. But the always reliable 'All-solving True Revelation' failed for the first time in the face of the scythe and dagger enshrouded in black light! Normally, anything hit by that beam of light would at least fall apart and the curses decay, or the domain and various spells would be broken. But at this moment, when the white light shone on the black domain, it merely dimmed slightly without being stopped at all. Seeing this, Su Lun didn't know why his attack went unabated, and with that, he landed a slash. Frank could only resist desperately. But, perhaps too reliant on his divine eye, his physical skills were not up to par. A "swish" of a slash came down, blood sprayed several meters, and a severed arm also fell to the ground. Seeing Qian Tiao slashing again, a strong sense of impending death left Frank pale and terrified. This guy had no intention of staying any longer. His upright pupil focused, staring at an exit in the barrier. Suddenly, a special divine power rose from him. Everyone watched as the barrier was pierced by a breach and the man disappeared without a trace. ... "He escaped?" Qian Tiao's sword cut through air, frowning at the escaping individual. Mr. Jing, however, seemed to have discerned something, and said, "That guy is protected by a deity. The barrier can't stop a True God. We only had one chance for a surprise attack. It's normal that we couldn't kill him." Listening, Su Lun expressed his surprise, "Protected by a True God?" Mr. Jing nodded, "Yes. 'All-solving True Revelation' is an extremely rare talent. Even within that 'heavenly god race,' there are definitely not many who can awaken the third eye. That guy's status in the heavenly god race is probably not low." Hearing this, Su Lun pursed his lips in disappointment, "A pity... " Even their joint forces had failed to kill him; confronting him in the future would be even harder. That heavenly god race was indeed a big trouble. Mr. Jing said, "Let's go. What I've been waiting for has come to pass, and this place is no longer suitable to linger in." Qian Tiao sheathed his sword. Su Lun nodded too, and, glancing at the severed hand on the ground, picked it up reflexively, wondering if it might come in handy later. But upon a closer look, he found a special storage ring on the guy's finger. "Huh... Isn't this an Alchemy civilization's storage ring?" As someone proficient in Space Law, Su Lun immediately detected something odd with it. This storage ring was not only large but also had a robust space, entirely different from the ordinary storage rings he was accustomed to seeing. What was more crucial was that inside, there were several items that clearly looked like treasures! Su Lun didn't look too closely, fearing covetousness from some divinity, and promptly stashed it into his little void realm. He also brought Qian Tiao along. Following Mr. Jing, Su Lun teleported several times and quickly arrived above the ocean. An endless sea, where a large black sailing ship had long been waiting. It was the Eternal Night Emperor. Stepping onto his own ship, an unexplainable sense of security washed over him, and Su Lun let out a huge sigh of relief. """