Chapter 102 New Little Red Bottle (Requesting Full Subscription)

"It’s over, Brother Luo got counter-killed by the teacher!" Gu Fangyi covered his face. Originally, they thought this teacher was just a Bronze-tier, but unexpectedly, he turned out to be a King-tier. Just as the entire class reached an impasse, Han Shiyu arrived. She nodded at the elderly teacher. "Mr. Wu, I apologize for the trouble. These students are quite mischievous. I’ll take over." Mr. Wu could be quite stern with the students, as he was their teacher, but he couldn’t bring himself to act that way in front of Han Shiyu. Han Shiyu was a member of the Church and a professor; either status alone was far beyond his own. "Then, I shall take my leave, Professor Han." "Mm, thank you again for substituting for me." Han Shiyu was not rude; on the contrary, she was very polite to the old gentleman. However, the other students still clearly sensed the disparity in their statuses. Although Mr. Wu was advanced in age, his gaze constantly darted away when facing Han Shiyu. This was indicative of the strict class hierarchy within the Wasteland Alliance. Zhou Kai and Ludie had both told Lu Luo that the class system in the Wasteland Alliance was pervasive. Without it, some people wouldn’t even know how to move forward. With Han Shiyu present, the course became much simpler. She quickly finished explaining the remaining content and concluded the lesson. As soon as class ended, Lu Luo found Han Shiyu, just as she had expected. "Professor Han, I have many questions I’d like to ask you." Lu Luo possessed an abundance of alchemy resources and potions. He urgently needed guidance from a professional like Han Shiyu to help him convert these items into money as quickly as possible. Only money represented true strength. Han Shiyu nodded slightly. "Come with me." "Alright." Lu Luo waved to Gu Fangyi, signaling him to carry on with his own tasks, then followed Han Shiyu out of the classroom. "I’d like to ask for your advice on some alchemy-related matters." "Is it about those blood bags from Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals? Xinzhu already informed me. However, without the formula, the blood bags are essentially useless. They’re merely a relatively expensive alchemical material. You should just sell them directly; people from Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals will purchase them." Although Han Shiyu was knowledgeable about alchemy, she held no particular interest in items like blood bags. Many had attempted to replicate the Little Red Bottles, and blood bags weren’t exceptionally rare materials, yet no company had ever succeeded. Aside from the formidable backing of Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals, the primary obstacle was the technological blockade. "You’re absolutely right, but the problem is, I have the formula." Han Shiyu abruptly stopped and glanced sideways at Lu Luo. "Forget what you just said. And remember, you will *never* possess the formula for the Little Red Bottles." Lu Luo understood Han Shiyu was warning him and nodded. "Uh, got it. So, what now?" "Follow me." Han Shiyu didn’t lead Lu Luo back to her dormitory but instead took him to the school’s laboratory area. Inside the lab, Han Shiyu examined the formula Lu Luo had written down. "Blood bags, Ruo Xing grass, Advanced Coagulant, human blood, Lan Tian fusion agent—is that all?" "Besides these, the Little Red Bottles require a very specific type of energy to form, but I don’t know exactly what kind of energy it is." "Alright, I’ll give it a try." As a skilled pharmacology professor, Han Shiyu possessed nearly all the ingredients listed in Lu Luo’s formula, including blood bags. However, her lab contained only one blood bag, whereas Lu Luo still had over fifty. Blood bags were the most valuable component, with each one typically fluctuating in price between 1,000 to 1,500 dollars. Ruo Xing grass was much cheaper, costing around 500 dollars. Advanced Coagulant was also inexpensive at 200 dollars. As for human blood, you could get as much as you wanted; lives were cheap in the Wasteland. The final ingredient, the Lan Tian fusion agent, was a product self-manufactured by Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals and sold for 1,000 dollars. Calculated this way, the material cost for one batch of the potion was around 3,000 dollars. If Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals produced it themselves, this cost would be significantly lower. Based on the black market price of 6,000 dollars for a Little Red Bottle, if Lu Luo succeeded with his 53 blood bags, he stood to make over a hundred thousand dollars. "Let’s begin." Han Shiyu ground the blood bag into powder while Lu Luo juiced the Ruo Xing grass. He prepared the cold fusion vessel and then mixed in the Advanced Coagulant and human blood. Once all these ingredients were combined, the Lan Tian fusion agent was added last. [Observing alchemical substance fusion mode. Host, please maintain visual focus.] Soon, a semi-solid, jelly-like substance appeared. Lu Luo stared at it, somewhat dissatisfied. "This is the Little Red Bottle? It feels way off!" Of course, it’s off! 3,000 dollars have already been spent—money he had to cover. If this fails, it’s a devastating loss. "You yourself said that besides the basic potion formula, a special kind of energy needs to be infused. Since we don’t know what that energy is, it’s perfectly normal for it to fail." Han Shiyu carefully cut the small medicinal lump into three pieces and placed them into separate refrigeration dishes. Lu Luo picked up one piece and, without a word, infused it with a surge of Qi He! BANG! The refrigeration dish exploded, and the medicinal lump was blasted into powder. A thousand dollars, gone just like that. "Lu Luo, what are you doing?" Han Shiyu demanded. "These cooling refrigeration dishes are very expensive, over 2,000 dollars each. You need to understand that." "Uh, sorry. I just wanted to see if my energy would work." Lu Luo scratched his head, realizing his loss was more than just a thousand dollars. In truth, he was thinking, ’I’m already so special, why isn’t it working? That’s not how it happens in TV dramas! Why isn’t this medicine following the usual script?’ Looking at the two remaining refrigeration dishes, Lu Luo fell into deep thought. "The Little Red Bottle is a healing potion, so it requires the infusion of healing energy, like Holy Radiance. Come on, Professor Han, let me see your... ’assets’... AH!~" Han Shiyu jabbed a finger into Lu Luo’s waist. The sharp pain almost made him kneel. That single poke was enough to make Lu Luo behave. "Sorry, my tongue slipped. I meant, let me see the power of your Holy Light!" Han Shiyu ignored Lu Luo’s suggestive remark, extended her finger, and touched one of the refrigeration dishes. As the Holy Radiance entered the medicinal lump, it visibly trembled. However, after a short while... BANG! It exploded again. "Damn it! Another thousand wasted! You’re not good enough!" Lu Luo exclaimed. "The Church’s doctrines forbid me from swearing, but they do permit me to strike you." "No, no, no! What about the last one then?" Han Shiyu looked at the final refrigeration dish, her brow furrowed. "I felt my Holy Radiance merging with the medicine just now, but it seemed like something was still missing. Perhaps... she could try." "Who?" 「」 Before long, Qi Xinzhu, dressed in the attire of a Dawn Church believer, hurried into the laboratory. The loose, blue and white robes completely concealed Qi Xinzhu’s vibrant figure. Lu Luo glanced at her once and then looked away; there wasn’t much to see. "Let her try? Even you couldn’t do it, so how could she? This stuff is expensive." Lu Luo’s attitude towards Qi Xinzhu remained harsh. However, while Qi Xinzhu was submissive in his presence, Han Shiyu was a different matter. "What, do you have a better candidate? Then call them over!" "No, I was just talking. Please, continue," Lu Luo said. If he had other options, he wouldn’t have sought out Han Shiyu. "Xinzhu, use Holy Radiance. Slowly." "Understood." Qi Xinzhu walked slowly to Lu Luo’s side. The fragrance of her hair naturally wafted into his nostrils. He sniffed subconsciously—it smelled rather pleasant. Qi Xinzhu’s expression flickered; they were too close. However, Han Shiyu soon pulled Lu Luo away, and Qi Xinzhu regained her composure. Gradually, a ball of Holy Radiance, even purer than Han Shiyu’s, appeared in Qi Xinzhu’s hand. She gently touched it to the medicinal lump. THUMP! The sensation of a heartbeat resonated instantly, felt by all three of them. They exchanged glances and saw that the medicinal lump before them had begun to melt. Before long, it completely transformed into a red liquid. "This feeling!" Lu Luo immediately picked up the refrigeration dish, opened the lid, and awaited the Observer’s prompt. [Similar to the Transcendent creature potion, the Little Red Bottle, it possesses healing power! Yet, it differs from the proprietary Little Red Bottle, slightly stronger than the Type I Little Red Bottle, but with a significant gap to the Type II Little Red Bottle.] "Slightly stronger than the Type I Little Red Bottle!" Lu Luo’s spirits lifted. This was Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals’ lucrative, cutting-edge technology. This thing! It could become an incredible source of wealth in the future. Han Shiyu also glanced at the potion in Lu Luo’s hand and questioned, "So, it’s a success? You were just saying Xinzhu couldn’t do it. What do you think now? Impressed, aren’t you?" Lu Luo immediately denied it. "When did I ever say Qi Xinzhu wasn’t good enough? Professor Han, you shouldn’t misquote me. Think carefully, did I really say that?" "Um, I suppose you didn’t." "Of course, I didn’t! Qi Xinzhu is my good teammate, a great companion, an elite of the Church, and the future of the Wasteland. I was even planning to hire her as a medical consultant for Circle Studio on behalf of the studio. How could I possibly speak ill of such an outstanding individual?" Most people would have been delighted by Lu Luo’s barrage of compliments, but Qi Xinzhu was different. Lu Luo had been speaking to her with veiled sarcasm for ten days straight, so now, she even suspected he was being sarcastic and mocking her. "Lu Luo, if there’s something I’m not doing well, you can tell me directly. There’s no need for this." "Huh? This... no, really, I’m serious. You truly are excellent. In my heart, you hold an irreplaceable position." Seeing his flattery fall flat, Lu Luo was momentarily at a loss for words and quickly added a few more sentences. But these words only made Qi Xinzhu lower her head. "I don’t like it when you talk like this. Please, just be normal." Damn it, there are actually people who don’t like being flattered? Something’s wrong with her! What part of me isn’t normal? Han Shiyu, standing to the side, shook her head. "Let me translate for you. He means your ability to activate the potion is excellent, and he’s green with envy. He wants you to help him concoct potions, and in return, he’ll offer you a Fourth Ring minimum wage—the kind that’s practically freeloading." [How can she read your thoughts? Is she peeking into your mind?] "Lu Luo would actually ask me for help? Really? Fourth Ring minimum wage? How much is that?" "I don’t recall exactly. Around 165 a month, I believe." "The wages in the Fourth Ring are that low!" Somehow, Han Shiyu and Qi Xinzhu began discussing the wage standards in the Fourth Ring. They both agreed that the pay was too low; based on their spending habits, 165 dollars wasn’t even enough to buy a single skincare product—a single item, not a set. Lu Luo listened silently from the side, realizing he was apparently the only poor one among them. However, Qi Xinzhu’s ability to activate the Little Red Bottle meant that if this Circular girl in front of him was willing to help, she could bring him an immediate income of 150,000 dollars, and an untold amount of future earnings. With the 150,000, plus the tens of thousands he would soon get from selling equipment, the four Yellow Bottles he currently possessed, and some Corrosive Items and Dark Spirit Stones, he gritted his teeth. He might even be able to pay off the Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals contract directly. The key to all this, however, was Qi Xinzhu. This girl was so obedient when they were outside, why did she become so disobedient upon returning? Women, what a species! Give them an inch, and they’ll take a mile. They still need to be managed! But the conversation had clearly shifted to Fourth Ring wages, and Lu Luo couldn’t get a word in. Why talk about wages? Aren’t we all working to build up the Wasteland? Doesn’t talking about money strain relationships? Remaining here would only deepen his gloom. So, Lu Luo decided to leave first, take a roundabout approach, and address the matter later. "Professor Han, Student Qi Xinzhu, uh, if there’s nothing else, I’ll be going then." Both Han Shiyu and Qi Xinzhu caught a glimpse of Lu Luo’s somewhat dejected retreating figure. Han Shiyu showed a hint of smugness, while Qi Xinzhu’s feelings were more complex. The two of them had agreed beforehand to ignore Lu Luo, as Han Shiyu had told her that if they did, Lu Luo would eventually approach her for help on his own. But Qi Xinzhu was resistant to this method; it wasn’t straightforward enough, and she was, after all, an upright Believer of Light! Just as Lu Luo was about to exit, Han Shiyu called out, "Lu Luo!" "Yes, Professor Han! What is it?" Lu Luo replied with perfect obedience. "Weren’t you interested in learning Martial Arts? I had initially found an excellent Martial Arts instructor for you. However, on second thought, you and the Church don’t seem to get along, and that instructor is rather inflexible. So, I’m afraid it won’t work out." What did the Cultivation Techniques, secret tomes, and Martial Arts of the Dawn Church represent? They represented centuries of accumulated knowledge and heritage from the Transcendent education system of the Wasteland Alliance. Ludie had claimed his Dust Devil was no worse than the Church’s Secret Techniques, but "no worse than" and "better than" were entirely different concepts. This demonstrated that even someone like Ludie, who appeared reserved but was actually proud, acknowledged the Church’s prowess. Centuries of accumulation represent the convergence and optimization of countless geniuses’ abilities. It’s not something that can be compared to a single genius’s moment of inspiration. The Church embodied the pinnacle of Transcendent skills within the Wasteland Alliance, the ultimate expression of the Alliance’s Transcendent abilities and secret techniques. This was an undeniable fact. Lu Luo was sharp; as soon as he heard Han Shiyu’s words, he understood her intentions perfectly. "Professor Han, what are you talking about? How could I possibly not get along with the Church? Actually, you’ve all misunderstood me. I’m a very easygoing person. The Dawn Church is the hope of the Wasteland, the light of the Wasteland! I adored the Dawn Church when I was a child, constantly feeling the edifying influence of the Holy Light, and always firmly believed the Holy Light was coaxing me." "Coaxing?" "Oh no, I mean, the Holy Light is watching over me. Li Ming is with me. If it weren’t for my own unworthiness, I would have joined the Church long ago and become a great and loyal servant of the Dawn Church. If you don’t believe me, Professor Han, you can ask Qi Xinzhu. She’s also a member of the Church! During our ten days outside the walls, weren’t we always together, inseparable, practically like a loving family?" [You have been kicked out of the ’loving family’ group chat...] Han Shiyu glanced at Qi Xinzhu and shrugged, her expression clearly saying, ’See? The guy can’t speak a single honest word. Last time, he was saying he and the Church were mortal enemies.’ Qi Xinzhu had already turned her head away. Lu Luo’s way of speaking was indeed too shameless. But ’a loving family’... were they really that close? Han Shiyu nodded. "So, you like the Church that much, do you? Alright then. Spend the next few days catching up on your courses here at the school. When that esteemed individual returns, you and Qi Xinzhu will go together and diligently learn the Church’s highest arts. But remember, you won’t be the only ones in this cohort. There will be other Church members, and even members of the Four Knights from the Inner Ring. This is a rare opportunity, Lu Luo. You must seize it. Don’t embarrass me, and don’t embarrass yourself." Initially, Han Shiyu’s tone was teasing, but as she finished, her expression became entirely serious and solemn. Lu Luo also sensed the change in her demeanor, but he didn’t offer a direct response, saying vaguely, "Now, now, Professor, I’m going there with a humble attitude to learn. How could I possibly do something as deplorable as assaulting my fellow students?" However, Lu Luo’s reply clearly did not satisfy Han Shiyu. This time, she expected more than just that kind of attitude from him. "Lu Luo, I’m serious. The person I mentioned is very particular. It’s not easy to impress him and convince him to teach you his true skills. Therefore, when you go to learn this time, you absolutely must demonstrate sufficient talent to move him." Lu Luo rarely saw Han Shiyu adopt such a serious tone. He carefully considered the reasons. Could it be factional strife? A major power like the Dawn Church must have factions, right? But Han Shiyu, with her usual carefree demeanor, doesn’t seem like someone involved in factional struggles. Is that so-called ’esteemed individual’ really that difficult to get along with? "I understand, Professor Han. Reviving the glory of the Fourth Ring is our undeniable duty." Seeing Lu Luo finally take it seriously, Han Shiyu smiled. "That’s more like it. Alright, you can go about your business. The training will be set for one week from now." "Then, Professor Han, I’ll take my leave. Oh, by the way, I wanted to ask, who is this ’esteemed individual’ you mentioned, the one who teaches Martial Arts? And just how ’esteemed’ is he?" "The Dawn Archbishop of the Fourth Ring’s East Ring, Lord Qiao Xing."