Mechanical Alchemist

Su Lun looked at the mysterious person before him, his eyes not relaxing their vigilance in the slightest.

Although the two were conversing, a murderous intent lay quietly concealed.

In the brief time they had spoken, Su Lun's sharp gaze had detected something amiss.

The black market was crisscrossed with damp, sweltering waterways, which bred many mosquitoes.

But the moment this individual appeared, the mosquitoes in this alley had eerily fallen to the ground. It was as if an invisible barrier of death was slowly encroaching upon Su Lun.

The man had spoken of "X serum," not out of a naive desire to reminisce but to cover for the assassin hidden within his words.

Su Lun had guessed as well; if the other party could discern that his body had been enhanced by X serum, then their first reaction would definitely be to think that Duke Rafael's men had come after him!

That's why an attack would be justified.

"Strange... It's not Alchemy, nor does it seem like a conventional toxin, what exactly is this method?"

Su Lun was somewhat curious as he hadn't understood the man's means of attack.

There were no signs of a spell being gathered, not even any energy fluctuations.

It looked like, manipulation of some kind of deadly microorganism in the air?

Such a method, especially for assassination, really made one's defenses inadequate.

Therefore, Su Lun didn't test the waters, and instead asked directly, "Who are you to Danny Banks?"

....

Upon hearing Su Lun's words, the mysterious person immediately knew that the other might have guessed his identity.

But why was he asking about his son instead of directly exposing his identity?

A moment of puzzlement.

Su Lun wouldn't let the man have a chance to misunderstand and take action, so he directly dropped a bombshell and clearly stated, "I am Danny's friend. He's not dead."

If nothing went wrong, he surmised that the individual before him must be one of Danny's direct blood relatives!

The pathways to awakening human talents were diverse, but bloodline inheritance was the most common form of breakthrough.

Danny had achieved the second stage of talent awakening in [D-031- Enhanced Olfactory Sense], and Su Lun had once been tracked down by him from a considerable distance using this skill.

Now that someone else was using it, he naturally made the connection.

Knowing about "X serum," and having an olfactory talent, there weren't that many coincidences in this world.

However, Danny had said that his parents had died in that explosion. After that incident, all other relatives had also been secretly executed by Duke Rafael.

Su Lun wondered how this person had survived?

...

"What, Danny's not dead!"

As expected, upon hearing this, the mysterious person was greatly shocked.

Even though his face was hidden by a cloak, one could vividly feel his agitation.

In a deliberately lowered hoarse voice, he asked, "Who are you really?"

Su Lun glanced sideways at his surroundings, noting that the invisible barrier wasn't continuing to approach, and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

It was good that he hadn't resorted to violence.

He directly stated, "As I said, I'm his friend. He barely survived an explosion in the lab and then made his way through the sewers to the outskirts..."

Danny had told Su Lun a lot about his parents, so merely relating a few life details was enough to let the other party judge the truth of his words.

The mysterious person, upon hearing this, really believed it. He seemed stunned, muttering to himself with excitement and apparent sobs, "Danny is still alive... He's still alive..."

That kind of overwhelming joy found in regaining what was thought lost could indeed make a person lose composure.

Especially for a parent.

Seeing his reaction, Su Lun was certain this individual was either Danny's father or his mother!

A few moments later, the mysterious person again inquired, "Where is Danny now, in Old Lington? How is he?"

Su Lun responded, "He is quite safe for the time being, probably in the capital of the Luying Empire. But he's not doing too well."

Upon hearing this, the mysterious person's tone became markedly more anxious. Without waiting for Su Lun to finish, he quickly interrupted, "What's wrong with him?"

As it wasn't sensitive information, Su Lun simply stated, "After the lab accident, though he didn't die, he injected himself with a prototype of the [Aberration Reversal Potion] due to a mutation, so his lifespan has reached its end. Without any mishaps, he might run out of life within a year or two."

"Genetic mutation?"

The mysterious person murmured, "Hmm... I see."

Su Lun keenly captured that slight fluctuation in emotion, almost as if the person had breathed a sigh of relief?

One could understand upon thinking about it; the chief scientist who researched "X serum" in Old Lington must possess top-tier expertise in the field of contemporary biological technology.

It wouldn't be surprising if such a degree of mutation could be solved.

But those who lived with betrayal and conspiracy for a long time would always assume the worst about those getting close to them.

The mysterious person was no different.

After asking these questions, his gaze suddenly turned cold again, sizing up Su Lun before bluntly asking, "What do you want to gain from me?"

The person in front of him had followed him, clearly with a purpose in mind—it's possible he had been watched for a long time.

Now he claims to be his son's friend, a statement that certainly raises doubts about his motives.

"Neuro-mechanical technology."

Su Lun had guessed the other's thoughts and didn't try to hide his own.

In this situation, if he were in the other person's shoes, he would be equally cautious.

Beating around the bush serves no purpose; it's better to lay all the cards on the table.

"Oh?"

Hearing this, the mysterious man showed no surprise, instead letting out a cold snort.

But his attitude suddenly became chilling.

He possessed knowledge of neuro-mechanical technology that even Duke Raphael might not be aware of, and yet this man in front of him had pinpointed it right away... That was intriguing.

Others might not understand the value of this technology, but he couldn't be more aware of it.

It was something countless people would die for.

If it were brought into play, the two great empires would stake their lives to compete for it.

Once this objective was revealed, all previous conversations and motives seemed much less innocent.

Su Lun had also guessed what was concerning the man and directly said, "Earlier, through certain channels, I found out that Banner was turned into a full-body mechanical man, so I guessed someone close to him must possess neuro-mechanical technology. Therefore, when I ran into your excellency just now, I took the liberty to follow."

"So that's it..."

Upon hearing this, the mysterious man's doubts cleared up.

It turns out he had been so easily exposed.

But he didn't ask further, simply sneering, "Knowing Banner has a mechanical body isn't common knowledge. Let me think... was it that Umbrella Organization woman?"

Sabina's cover identity was the Gang Lady, someone recently close to Banner, so guessing this wasn't surprising.

Su Lun didn't hide it and nodded: "Yes."

Realizing the information came from the Umbrella Organization, the mysterious man's indifference could no longer be concealed, and with a laugh that was not quite a laugh, he said, "Hehe... you do have a bargaining chip I can't refuse. Speak then, how do you want to trade?"

In Old Lington, he had witnessed too much sordid power struggle. Clearly, he had concluded that Su Lun had thought things through and now intended to use "Danny" as leverage.

....

Su Lun wasn't surprised by the man's misunderstanding, and with a slight shake of his head, he spoke directly, "I said before, Danny is my friend. I didn't mean to use this as a bargaining chip. I need the neuro-mechanical technology for some personal reasons, not on behalf of any force. Even if the trade doesn't succeed, Danny will still be my friend. This will never change."

After pausing, he continued, "Sabina did indeed work for the Umbrella Organization before, but now she is my person. And I..."

He did not continue.

He did not reveal his identity with the "Mirror Organization," nor did he disclose the current situation with Danny.

This world has many extraordinary powers. Although he suspected it, he wasn't certain the person before him was truly Danny's kin.

Perhaps it was a special existence bearing the memories of Danny's kin?

As if the Fallen Angel soul that had once clung to Pestoia's spirit.

Because Su Lun felt something was off.

Earlier, he hadn't noticed anything strange, but upon closer proximity, he sensed that the mysterious man's aura was very wrong. The "halo" around him, deadly even to mosquitoes, shared the same source as the energy coming from his body.

That energy had now sealed off the alleyway.

Clearly, he was prepared for combat.

This mysterious individual, both in temperament and methods, was certainly no easy adversary.

Continuing this interaction might well be more trouble than it's worth.

"Let's leave it at that for now. We can discuss further when we both have enough trust," Su Lun said, without intending to carry on the conversation, indicating a readiness to leave.

He did indeed desire neuro-mechanical technology, but not necessarily to obtain it immediately.

Besides, having established a connection with this mysterious person, there would be other opportunities in the future.

"Not a trade?"

The mysterious man, observing Su Lun's demeanor, fell into contemplation.

He seemed to hesitate about whether to take action and keep Su Lun here.

If he could capture him and use his life as a threat, their circumstances would instantly reverse, and he could extract more information.

But seeing Su Lun's composed manner, he knew it might not be so straightforward.

....

Su Lun didn't intend to stay any longer and turned to leave.

The unknown "halo" sealing the alley was indeed tricky, but using Spatial Displacement to get out was no big issue.

He had no desire to conflict with the mysterious person.

Just as he turned to walk away, a soft call came from behind him: "Wait!"

Su Lun turned back and glanced over, "???"

"How do I contact you?"

The mysterious figure said, and, afraid of being misunderstood, added another sentence, "What I mean is, I'd like to make some gene-repairing potions for Danny. I hope you can take them to him."

He could wait, but Danny's body couldn't.

No one knew better than him the effects of genetic mutations on the human body.

He had also figured out that if the man before him were a person of Duke Raphael, there was no need to say so much. As soon as they discovered he was still alive, they would definitely eradicate him completely, preventing any chance of technology leakage.

Could it be Emperor Luying, or perhaps someone from Mafa?

But no matter what, his son was more important.

"I can."

Su Lun wasn't the least bit surprised by his words, and even breathed a sigh of relief.

At least he was more certain that this man cared about Danny's safety.

Having humanity meant he wasn't a monster.

But he pondered for a moment, and instead of answering, he asked, "But before that, I have a question for you. Who exactly are you?"

"You should have guessed who I am."

Without any hesitation, the mysterious person directly stated his identity, "I am Danny's father, Pickman Banks."

He paused for a moment, probably in order to convince Su Lun of his words, and then lifted the cloak covering his head.

Su Lun thought to himself: It really is him.

But gazing at the non-human face before him, his pupils shrank sharply.

It was a face shaped like pitch, with very distorted features. Two huge eyes occupied nearly half of the face, and upon closer inspection, one could see compound eyes similar to those of a fly, densely packed like thousands of small eyes. When he spoke, a mouth full of dense, sharp teeth was revealed.

No matter how you looked at it, this was a mutated monster, or perhaps a creature from another plane of existence.

And not a human.

After a moment of astonishment, Su Lun asked lightly, "Danny would be very glad to know his father isn't dead. But I'm sorry, I want to ask... how did you survive?"

Hearing this, the mysterious person let out a soft sigh.

He also knew he had to explain some things to gain the other's trust.

Only then did he slowly say, "Danny must have told you about the laboratory accident back then. However, there was some unexpected..."

.....

The Banks couple were the leaders of the former "Project X," but because they found out that Duke Raphael's experiments had caused too many innocent deaths, they planned to terminate the project.

Su Lun had heard the causes and consequences from Danny's mouth, and there wasn't much difference from what he was hearing from this man.

But the laboratory accident had some twists and turns.

Originally the Banks couple planned to slowly dismantle "Project X" through other methods, but they were found out beforehand. In the extreme capture, they had no choice but to detonate the laboratory in a hurry.

They thought it would be the end for their entire family along with the laboratory, but a small error occurred.

The "Dr. Pickman" in front of him was explaining in detail how he survived, speaking very precisely.

"So-called mutations are when a biological body cannot withstand certain foreign factors, resulting in mutations. To be more precise, the essence of human body mutations is that some special factors change the original genetic sequence of the body, acquiring the biological characteristics of foreign genes. However, not all these 'foreign factors' are malignant. It's also because the human constitution is too weak to bear them... this was also the purpose of our research."

"The larger the size, the higher-level the organism, the more violent the mutation process it can endure. Correspondingly, their reproductive abilities are lower. This is the delicate balance point of life in nature."

"..."

Su Lun, who now had solid foundational knowledge in the field of biological science, did not find it completely confusing to listen to.

From Pickman's mouth, he also learned more secrets about "Project X."

It turns out that in the hundred years of archaeology in Old Lington, Scavengers had found many strange ancient artifacts. Things that could extend life weren't only the [Heart of the Fallen Angel].

That was just a part of "Project X."

The mysterious person continued, "At that time, I was simultaneously researching another highly confidential project. We found a piece of abyssal creature tissue that still had vitality. I extracted from it a type of cell with extremely strong activity, endowed with formidable division and repair abilities. In a sense, the number of cell divisions determines the lifespan of a living organism. However, during my research process, I found no upper limit to the division times of these cells. Theoretically, that piece of ancient creature tissue is an 'immortal entity.' Therefore, I named it [Eternal Cells]."

"I established a new research project, which was to add a segment of this cell's genes to the human gene chain in order to extend lifespan. But all experiments ended in failure. Ultimately, 'X serum' became the main direction of research..."

"Um... I've said a bit too much. I just want to clarify that I'm not a monster. I possess complete rational thought. It only changed my gene chain, thereby affecting my body structure..."

...

After listening, Su Lun automatically filtered through the technical terms in his mind, and then summarized a simple storyline.

After the explosion, Pickman did indeed die.

But the biological chunk in the laboratory culture dish scattered in the explosion, and by chance, merged with the corpse. The [Eternal Cells] repaired his brain and body tissues, transforming him into what he looked like now.

As for later giving Banner mechanical modifications, among other coincidences...

So it turns out, the "Butcher" Banner, who appears to be the captain of the Pirate City's fourth fleet, is actually controlled from behind the scenes by this Pickman.

Listening to him speak with clear logical thinking, Su Lun didn't think he was any kind of monster, or possessed by some will, and he let go of some of his concerns.

However, whether it was him or not didn't matter much.

At least there was no hostility, which would make communication easier.

After listening, Su Lun said, "I can take the potion to Danny for you. After you finish the potion, leave it in 'Dance of Fire Tavern.' I will go and get it."

Pickman nodded, not saying much else, "Okay!"

This approach is good for both parties when there's no trust.

Ever since Su Lun stopped mentioning the "neural mechanical blueprints," the atmosphere had become noticeably more relaxed.

After that, the two of them vanished at opposite ends of the alleyway.

....

Once back on the streets, Su Lun's expression was also more relaxed. Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire

He reflected on their previous conversation and had a realization, saying with a sigh, "That ability that would even kill mosquitoes is really a control over microorganisms. Tsk tsk... this thing is even weirder than toxins. Besides, according to what he said, even injuries as severe as a smashed body can be repaired by 'eternal cells,' which is a bit of an exaggeration. His combat strength, it's really hard to gauge..."

Now it looked like that "Pickman" was likely Danny's father after all.

And, if he had chosen mutual destruction over continuing the experiment, his character must be decent.

The risk of further contact would also be very low.

Su Lun was just worried that those "eternal cells" might affect his sanity in the future.

However, as a top biological scientist, he should be well aware of the situation and didn't need an outsider like him to worry too much.

In the future, once mutual trust was established, getting his hands on those "neural mechanical blueprints" was also hopeful. Su Lun's own plan for a mechanical puppet army would also take a big step forward.

And it was not just about a single blueprint.

Dr. Pickman was a top scientist in the fields of neural mechanics and biotechnology.

There was ample space for future cooperation.

Su Lun felt that it was a good start.

Unbeknownst to him, he had wandered into a brightly lit alley.

This was a street full of eateries, illuminated by the orange glow of lanterns hung above. Neon signs dazzling outside the storefronts were enough to dazzle onlookers. The display windows showcased food piled up like little mountains: bright red sausages, fish balls turning over in bubbling broth, glistening roast suckling pig on the spit, lively octopus teppanyaki, the fragrant aroma of smoked turkey, and the delicate, rich sea fish sashimi...

Diners sat atop tall stools, indulging in the feast.

The exquisite aroma of food wafted through the air, and Su Lun's stomach began to growl too.

He spread his hand out, and with a sleight of hand, his clothes transformed back into his pirate attire, and he strode forward.

The food in Pirate City was incredibly diverse, inhabited by worshippers of various faiths. Their food, marked with traits of various civilizations, was scattered in numerous small bites that amounted to thousands of options—a sensory journey that was unparalleled elsewhere.

Compared to the delicate dishes of fine dining, Su Lun preferred these street foods that could induce a profound sense of satisfaction.

As he walked, he sampled the fare, trying lots of delicious food along the way.

Experiencing food was also the essence of travel.

Appetite is one of the most basic of human desires, and among these street stalls, it wasn't uncommon to spot some Great Pirates.

The Great Pirate "Iron Nun" Susie Mel with a bounty of 146 million risos, the aristocratic human trafficker "Poison Buddha" Kebi Price with a bounty of 255 million, the deserter naval lieutenant colonel "Black Dragon" Nolan Dasilva with a bounty of 89 million risos...

With an excellent memory, Su Lun watched as those faces, ones he had seen on Bounty Orders, walked through the streets, as if they were walking bounties.

Figures that would hide in the shadows elsewhere roamed freely here in the streets.

Su Lun continued eating his way through the city, making his presence known.

He knew well that beneath this calm surface, the eyes of various intelligence agencies and informants were dancing wildly.

Among pirates, there's no shortage of brokers in information.

....

It was still early, and Su Lun decided to visit a Geisha house.

Proper Geisha houses weren't brothels, and geishas were artists, not selling their bodies.

The Mountain Hermit nation was impoverished and isolationist.

Those geishas were official "labor exports" sent out to earn money.

Geishas weren't bar girls or providers of lascivious services but were truly skilled in ceremonies, tea ceremony, martial arts, language arts, literature, and music.

They started learning their art at a young age and officially debuted at sixteen. Geishas were also masters of conversation; it was said they harbored the most comprehensive intelligence on Pirate ships, and knew how to boost a man's ego, good at reading people and understanding the emotions of the guests. They provided satisfying intellectual companionship. One could say geishas displayed the most charming aspects of a young woman to their guests.

Su Lun hadn't experienced it before but thought it might be a kind of spiritual enjoyment?

It was expensive, but in a way, truly worth it.

The few thousand that the Pirate band had given Su Lun could probably afford a common geisha for tea and a few songs.

As for the lead courtesan, forget about it—without a few million, there was no chance of even a meeting.

Despite their oft squalid appearance, pirates were never stingy when it came to indulgence, and in Pirate City, those who spent lavishly were all too common.

As Su Lun strolled along, he crossed a wooden bridge and suddenly smelled the faint fragrance of cherry blossoms.

Looking up, he saw a blooming cherry tree and hanging amidst it, a wooden signboard for "Nagano-ya."

In his memory, this was one of the most famous regular Geisha houses on Pirate ships.

He wondered how these folks managed to transplant cherry trees here, creating a winding path amidst the narrow cluster of buildings.

One had to admit, even just the facade was pleasing to the eye.

Su Lun walked over, intent on experiencing it for himself.

Little did he expect to bump into Qiantiao there.