Chapter 13 Upset Again But Can't Show It <TOC> Chapter 15 Black Market Fair
Translator: SumTLMan
No one could’ve imagined that all of Baron Maureen’s treasures have come into his possession.
Rayne knew that the person behind this assassination wouldn’t rest until Quinn had found the treasures.
He expects that Quinn will come by again and interrogate him about the mission.
However, this also meant that his crisis was soon approaching.
If the person behind the scenes hadn’t given up their search for the treasure, or if they couldn’t acquire it, they would certainly think of other ways of reaching their goal. The threat posed by someone with those kinds of resources and power is an even greater threat to his survival than Pythius.
So, Rayne was very clear about his priorities.
He must get his hands on the cure and immediately escape from the “Demon Weasel Bandits” as soon as possible!
Forcing Pythius to reveal the formula is only the first step. The key is… To get the finished antidote.
…….
Quinn, the bandit boss, helped to keep things on track towards Rayne’s scripted plan.
Shortly after the enquiry, the boss sent a large amount of [Skull Powder from a Thousand-Year-Old Mummy]. This was a finished material from one of his previous robberies. It arrived in the laboratory ready for use, so they didn’t have to take time personally drying out the skull, grinding it, and purifying it.
When the material was finally delivered, Pythius no longer had any excuses left.
The old man was still revelling in the fact that he had attained the formula for a yellow gold magic potion, and although he wasn’t happy about being cheated, he was compelled to configure the antidote.
During the whole medicine refining process, Rayne was wise enough to stay put and watch from the sidelines.
Pythius didn’t deliberately avoid any procedure. After all, the cure to [Zombie Potion] was much more straightforward than refining a genetic magic potion. Still, it wasn’t something that an ordinary magic potion apprentice would be able to concoct.
Sure, I’ll let you see, but what can you see?
The techniques involved, the timing for dissolving the potion materials, the temperature control… These are the details where the real difficulties lie.
This is also the major difference between a formal magic potion master and an apprentice.
Without a year and a half of hands-on training, an apprentice potion master can’t even remember the materials’ medicinal properties, let alone actually prepare a potion.
Back then, Pythius’s talent wasn’t considered bad. However, he still had to study the basics at the Royal College for more than a year before his Teacher allowed him to start working with finished materials for refining potions…
…….
Sorting, purifying, distilling, heating… All in one go.
Every step in the preparation process for the potion was incredibly smooth. This is the standard of an experienced two-star magic potion master!
“It’s important to remember to be ‘steady and careful’ during the preparation process for a potion. The first stage of material purification and extraction determines a potion’s final potency. In contrast, the second stage of reaction, fusion and cooling, is the key factor involved in the potion’s success rate… If you don’t reach the level of a one-star magic potion master, the success rate of configuring this potion is almost zero…”
Pythius didn’t shy away from Rayne’s burning gaze. Instead, he spouted a lot of jargon as he configured the potion.
The words included a lot of advanced potion knowledge, not to mention magic potion apprentices. Even a one-star magic potion master might be left unable to fully comprehend what he was saying.
The old man naturally didn’t really intend on teaching Rayne anything about potions. Rather than that, he was showing off his skills and satirising him for overreaching.
Haha… Can you even understand how to concoct a potion after only reading the formula and watching the entire refining process?
A boy who has only been an apprentice for a couple of days?
Hmph, naive and foolish!
The scorn at the corner of the old man’s mouth was as sharp as a needle, but Rayne’s expression was the same as usual.
“Oh… Teacher, what you’ve taught me was too profound. You must be a great magic potion master!”
“Oh my God, Teacher, your technique is too brilliant…”
“…”
He was listening to Pythius’s lecture with rapt attention while flattering him with duplicitous lip service.
He was naturally confused by all the esoteric pharmacological content. But still, he had remembered every single one of the technical words the old man was spewing after having read the technical books. When he put it all together, he still couldn’t figure out what these terms meant at all.
In other words, just because you may know Arabic numerals, will knowing this help you solve advanced mathematical equations?
Magic potion science is one of the most complex disciplines in this world.
Although he couldn’t understand it right now, he could “memorise” it!
At this moment, his “Wisdom Brain” had recorded the entire refining process.
The sequence of ingredients, the heating and temperature control, the reaction times, the material concentration… Even the angle at which Pythius shook the test tube with also the frequency… All of these details were recorded.
Seeing the formula before was only Rayne’s first “contingency”.
He was afraid that Pythius might’ve tampered with the cure, but now he was relieved as he watched the entire refining process on the spot.
At least in his view, this old man followed the correct procedures shown in the formula and hadn’t played any tricks.
“Am I finally going to get the cure…”
Rayne held a faint expectation. As long as he got the cure, he could truly begin his plan of escaping this bandit’s den with peace of mind.
……
The antidote potion refinement process for [Zombie Potion] wasn’t too complicated, especially for an experienced two-star magic potion master.
About half an hour later, Pythius had finished configuring a purple potion.
“This is the antidote potion. After you take it, the toxin will be completely eliminated from your body. From now on, stay by my side and study pharmacology…”
“Yes, Teacher.”
“…”
The two men hadn’t completely torn their faces yet, so the play must go on.
Without giving it much further thought, Rayne took the potion with a single gulp.
But in a few moments, his anticipation immediately cooled down.
Because the status projected on his retina by his “Wisdom Brain” showed that the toxin hadn’t been completely eliminated from his body but had only extended the outbreak time!
[Warning: Unknown toxin attack, expected to be fatal within 1094 days, 23 hours and 44 minutes.]
What’s going on? Didn’t he say the toxin would be removed? How come… I still a poisoned status!
Rayne’s heart thumped as he looked at the countdown displayed on his system.
Could it be possible that this wily old man had tampered with the cure?
No… The whole refining process was done according to the formula… Then when was it done?
Besides, the old man had no motive for doing so.
What’s the significance of the antidote previously being administered once a month to the three-year extension now?
What’s the significance of this small action? Isn’t he afraid that the secret will be discovered, and I’ll “turn against” him by spilling the beans to Boss Quinn, won’t the chicken fly the coop?
This kind of muddle-headed stunt definitely isn’t something this old bastard would even consider doing.
Is there something else going on here?
…….
Rayne’s plans were disrupted by this sudden turn of events.
The cure he had worked so hard to acquire was actually only a “temporary reprieve” from the poison’s effects!
Pythius looked at Rayne’s slightly puzzled expression and asked: “What’s wrong?”
Rayne collected himself, acted as if he didn’t know what was going on and said: “Teacher, is this really the cure to [Zombie Potion]? I don’t feel anything different after taking it…”
If he didn’t have his “Wisdom Brain”, he wouldn’t have detected the antidote’s problem.
“Huh… What other changes would there be?”
Pythius raised his brow.
He was a little displeased by the suspicion and said: “Now that you’ve awakened to the transcendence, you should feel the chill disappearing from your body, right? That’s a sign that the poison has been lifted.”
He thought it was Rayne’s habit of being paranoid and fearful of trouble, so he further explained: “If you don’t believe me, you can ask the other seniors in the regiment. They all took the same antidote…”
“Teacher, you misunderstand. I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s just the surprise of being cured came too suddenly…”
Rayne looked at Pythius as if he wasn’t lying, as if he didn’t know that the cure only temporarily controlled the poison.
Although he couldn’t rule out the possibility that the old man was deliberately trying to conceal the issue, he was at least a good actor…
But upon reflection, Rayne felt that if the old man wanted to control him, he could’ve found better ways, so there was no need to play tricks with the antidote.
But it was also confirmed that the poison hadn’t been eliminated, so what was going on here?
…….
Why would the poison kick in after three years?
Hmm… It seems that Pythius joined the “Demon Weasel Bandits” three years ago?
Suddenly, a lightbulb flashed in Rayne’s head.
And then he connected the dots…
He found it!
If this was the antidote that everyone was taking, it meant that most of the “Demon Weasel Bandits” members weren’t cured of their [Zombie Potion], but temporarily reprieved, including those senior members!
Now that the three years are up, the first batch of people who took the antidote will drop dead for sure, and it’ll undoubtedly be impossible to hide this for long. This means things are about to get ugly…
There’s a vague sense in Rayne’s heart that there’s more to this than meets the eye, that there’s an air of intrigue and conspiracy afoot.
But… What exactly is Pythius planning?!
Chapter 13 Upset Again But Can't Show It <TOC> Chapter 15 Black Market Fair