Mechanical Alchemist

This round of attack was probably the last time the Oliver family's experts teamed up.

Su Lun had killed two second-tier close-combat fighters and severely injured one spell-casting magician.

The few who were still alive heard no more movements.

Without the melee fighters to distract, the ranged spell-casters didn't dare show themselves. If they were to cast a spell, the spatial rifts created by the black scythe would definitely form faster than the speed of their casting.

Having taken a heavy punch to the chest, his blood still roiling, Su Lun wasn't in a hurry to make any large movements.

He casually harvested the soul shards in the form of grey mist from the bodies of 'Iron Tiger' Ryan Rute and 'Poison Snake' Bright Jials beside him, gaining a great deal of close-combat experience.

It must be said, the soul quality of inner city professionals was indeed very high.

Ryan, originally from the military academy of the inner city, provided Su Lun with a wealth of military-grade mechanical knowledge and various other military insights during this harvest.

Speaking of mechanical knowledge alone, this was the highest quality harvest he had ever had.

...

The critical moment had passed, with half of the six second-tier was already gone from the space.

As the rolling blood stilled, Su Lun slowly took out two other undead bodies, then switched the black scythe onto them.

The 'Trickster' Lloyd indeed possessed an item that could withstand the black scythe's attack, but its use was not without cost.

Two ordinary undead combined with the abomination should normally be able to strike ten times consecutively.

To kill him, that was enough.

Su Lun smiled lightly to himself, slightly bent his fingers, and controlled the undead to slash towards the location from where the sound had originated.

The ability to "listen for position" allowed him to pinpoint Lloyd's exact location early on.

But the dwarf's target was small, so the arc of this slash was quite large, to ensure a definite hit.

Just as this slash fell, the ordinary undead wielding the blade suffered an immediate backlash, bursting into two pieces.

However, Su Lun wasn't concerned.

Because at that moment, he heard a faint noise, like the sound of glass beads shattering.

Su Lun smiled lightly, knowing he had hit his mark.

He also pinpointed Lloyd's exact coordinates!

"This just became simple..."

Unhurriedly, he switched the black scythe to another undead, swung the blade again, and chopped down.

In the smoke, another faint "crack" of shattering noise echoed.

Then another slash, and another sound followed.

Su Lun thought he would need to strike five times, as the information he had was that the gloves could hold five "Curse Source Crystals."

But as the third slash fell and he was preparing to swing the fourth, the dwarf master's composure broke.

Three slashes followed by another three...

It seemed endless.

Being fixed in place to be used as a chopping block, anyone's composure would likely break.

Su Lun watched the crosses in the sky suddenly scatter, and the black lines he struggled against concurrently lost their force.

"Ah..."

A painful scream emanated from the thick smoke.

Su Lun knew that the spell formation had collapsed, and Lloyd had suffered a backlash of force.

The "Puppet Theater" collapsed, and without further restraint, Su Lun exhaled a breath of relief.

With the last threat gone, he felt a weight lifted off his shoulders.

He smoothed back his hair and controlled the puppet to rush towards the direction of the sound.

Upon closer inspection, in front of a ruined building guarded by more than ten heavy-armored knight puppets, Lloyd was already blood-spattered on the ground, barely alive.

Su Lun, seeing he was still breathing, raised his gun and pulled the trigger, sending him off without a hint of courtesy.

"Bang!"

The gunshot rang out, and Lloyd fell dead, the ten-plus black knights also instantly collapsing into pieces of various sizes.

These more than ten heavy-armored knights were also the famous puppet corps of this Puppet Master — the "Twelve Armored Knights."

They were treasures unearthed from ancient relics as well.

A special alloy forged, lightweight, easy to control, and balanced in attack and defense, these puppets were of much better quality than the mid-level explosion-proof dolls Su Lun was currently producing.

Unfortunately, against the unobstructed spatial rifts, they were utterly useless.

Watching the grey mist emerge from the body, Su Lun then walked past the debris on the ground.

With a wave of his hand, he swallowed the fragments.

A flood of memories instantly poured into his mind.

'Acquired memory shards of "Lloyd Rodney" *5'

'You have gained a piece of information: "There's an ancient relic in the Oliver family's treasure vault, a perfect match for the puppetry art of my lineage..."'

'You have gained some 'puppet-making experience''

"You have obtained [Mystic Art: Puppet Theater (Incomplete)]"

"You have mastered the String Control Technique [Secret Technique: Hundred Fingers Dance]"

"You have gained a vast amount of 'Puppetry Technique Experience'"

"Spiritual power +0.7"

After a moment of contemplation,

Joy increasingly emerged in Su Lun's eyes.

This ambush had largely been for this very purpose.

And the harvest was more bountiful than expected!

...

Su Lun quickly assimilated the fragments of memory in his mind, unable to hide the joy in his eyes.

In a voice only he could hear, he muttered, "I did not expect to actually peel off [Puppet Theater]..."

In an instant, his mind was filled with various detailed controls of that secret technique, as well as Lloyd's many years of combat experience.

This made Su Lun feel overwhelmingly rewarded.

Directly peeling off such a highly proficient "finished skill" saved him at least several years of arduous training.

Looking at the "incomplete" mark, he wasn't too concerned.

Though he didn't know which part was missing, he just happened to have a complete scroll of the technique.

When he returned, he could slowly compare them and immediately complete it.

But the surprises were not limited to peeling off [Puppet Theater].

The technique [Hundred Fingers Dance] was also a capability every Puppet Master dreams of!

The reason Lloyd could control so many threads was directly linked to his string control skill, developed and perfected over thousands of trials. It wasn't because he had a hundred fingers, but because his skills in controlling strings were so refined that ten fingers moved as if they were a hundred.

This was truly a "master level" String Control Technique.

A normal Puppet Master would need to train hard for several years, even decades...depending on their learning aptitude, to reach this degree of proficiency.

Su Lun achieved it in one step.

It could not be described as anything less than a huge surprise.

Besides these two critically needed Puppetry Techniques, there were a bunch of Puppetry Technique fragments and crafting techniques...

Su Lun felt that this haul was his real jackpot.

By stripping this fragment from Lloyd, his own proficiency in puppetry had also skyrocketed by leaps and bounds.

Not to say it reached "master level," but at least "expert."

This was the harvest of ten fewer years of struggle!

And finally, there was a piece of obsession in the memory fragments...

"An item highly compatible with puppetry that is cursed?"

Su Lun squinted at that piece of information.

What could it be that even Lloyd, the Puppet Master, coveted?

But in the Oliver family's treasure vault, even if coveted, it seemed unattainable...

However, suddenly, looking at the regalia slowly forming on the corpse, an idea popped into Su Lun's mind.

Perhaps... there wasn't entirely no chance?

....

Su Lun removed several storage rings from Lloyd's hand.

Upon a cursory glance, a large amount of puppetry materials and finished products were all things he could utilize.

Indeed, as a teacher of Young Master Danze, this guy really had quite a stash.

Last time he harvested a wave from his alchemical puppet, and now there was so much more...

Tch tch.

Su Lun didn't bother to look in detail at the contents of the storage rings, and at this moment, he also removed a glove from the other hand of this dwarf.

The glove, woven from silver threads, was very soft to the touch and had five gemstones embedded on the back.

Three of them were already shattered, and two were intact.

This guy's ability to withstand three spatial slashes from the black scythe without dying was all thanks to this glove.

Upon inspection, Su Lun felt that he had once again struck it big.

[Kronos's Spatial Gloves]

Description: An ancient alchemist, bored, transformed a war trophy spatial magic device into a crude alchemical item just to prevent his love rival from teleporting away during a duel.

Details: The glove is imbued with the high-level spell 'Titan's Grasp' (durability 8/15), uses energy to cast a spell that solidifies space in a target area, imprisoning spatial fluctuations within that area not higher than the spell's itself; of course, it can also use energy to passively resist a spatial rift near the wearer; minimum energy consumption one unit of cursed source crystal per usage.

Review: This is a very mediocre alchemical item, using ten times the energy to cast a not very practical spell; but in reality, it is a spatial magic device, increasing spatial affinity by 30%, and enhancing spatial spell potency by 7-16%.

Looking at the details of the glove, Su Lun couldn't help but feel a sense of irony, "Wasn't this supposed to be a 'banned item'?"

Clearly, it was not.

The glove had been borrowed by Young Master Danze from the Clark family.

It seemed that even the Clark family, the owners of the glove, hadn't completely understood its function.

However, upon reading the detailed description of the gloves, Su Lun's expression turned somewhat odd.

They had borrowed this item, which certainly restrained his abilities.

But it shouldn't be used this way.

If they had found a professional with spatial abilities and actively used "Titan's Grasp" to solidify the space around Su Lun, he wouldn't have been able to teleport, and would have been cornered on the spot.

Instead, they only understood one passive ability, using it to block the attacks of the Black Scythe.

Perhaps they thought the cost of experimentation was too great, and the ability too trivial?

Su Lun raised his eyebrows, guessing the reason why the Clark family had not completely figured out the use of the gloves.

After all, it was indeed a very trivial ability!

Su Lun looked at the three shattered gems on the glove, at a loss for words.

The origins of these gems were no small matter.

They were called "Curse Origin Crystals."

They were the same kind as hard currency Curse Crystals.

Ordinary Curse Crystals = 10,000 riso;

Top-quality Crystals ≈ 10 million;

Curse Origin Crystals, valued at 10 billion, were just theoretical prices!

This type of top-tier gemstone, allegedly produced only one or two per ore vein, was literally priceless on the market.

Even the financial conglomerates in the inner city didn't have many, as they were extremely scarce strategic resources that money couldn't buy!

Yet, with such a huge consumption, the technique executed couldn't control people, nor cause harm... it merely solidified space to prevent the target from using spatial techniques to escape.

Even Sabina, who had received the message, thought it was an "Artifact of Sealing."

Just now, to avoid complications, Su Lun had swiftly struck three times.

One billion per strike, it seemed a bit painful...

However, Su Lun never dwelt on the unchangeable past.

There were still two intact ones.

Just the value of these gems alone was now worth two billion.

This was also the most valuable treasure he had collected so far.

He put on the gloves on his left hand to try them out and discovered they didn't hinder his finger dexterity at all, nor did they affect his string control.

Moreover, regardless of whether the "Titan's Grasp" skill was trivial, what Su Lun valued more were the other properties of the gloves.

He himself had already mastered spatial abilities, and the moment he put on the gloves, he immediately felt the "Spatial Affinity +30%" buff.

Raising his hand, he grasped in front of him, and space immediately rippled—it was much easier than before.

"Not bad at all..."

Su Lun suddenly found himself quite taken with the gloves.

With these gloves, his ability to control space visibly surged, and his casting efficiency improved substantially.

This space-related magical device truly came into its own in the hands of someone with spatial powers.

This time, he had genuinely "struck gold."

...

The rich spoils of war gave Su Lun continuous surprises.

But he didn't spend much time looking at them.

There were still some survivors in this space, and he couldn't be careless.

Though they were unlikely to make a move again.

Originally, Su Lun's plan was to leave the area after killing the Trickster, Lloyd Rodney.

After all, with the barrier now full of thick smoke, it was impossible for Su Lun to find those few survivors in a short time.

Lingering further would only bring more reinforcements from outside.

But now, a new idea sprang up: "Try the new spell?"

Thinking of this, Su Lun suddenly became enthusiastic, his hands forming thirty-six mysterious sorcerer's seals in quick succession.

The next second, a blue Hexagram Array nearly covering the entire sealed space lit up in the sky, a massive cross-shadow slowly materializing from the alchemy array.

That's right,

he was casting "Puppet Mastery · Puppet Theater"!

Although he wasn't sure what was missing from the spell, its basic functions worked without a hitch.

In the moment the spell materialized, countless silver strands drifted down from the sky.

With sorcerer's seals in hand, Su Lun felt connected to the cross in the sky, as if it were an extension of his own limbs.

The sensation was magical, the threads extending outward as if his own perception was spreading wider. It wasn't that his spiritual power could focus on each thread, but rather like a spider web, immediately sending back information upon contact with anything.

For example, the two simplest pieces of information: non-living, living.

Su Lun had an infinite number of hair strands, with particular attention to one direction, and he quickly found the target, Lei Rafael Gemha, who he had shot earlier.

As expected, he was not killed; that guy was hiding in a corner and had not come out.

As soon as the threads extended, movements were immediately detected there as if someone had touched their own body hair – Su Lun sensed it right away!

"Hehe... caught one!"

Su Lun felt the prey in the net struggling, and he controlled even more threads to rush over there.

Probably because of the severe injury, the movement ceased quickly.
Your next read is at empire

Not far away, Su Lun walked over and looked at the purple-robed magician who had already been strangled in the pile of threads.

"Grey Mist" had already emerged, reaping a wave of rune techniques, spell casting, and alchemy knowledge experience.

At this moment, Su Lun truly understood the formidable power of this "Puppet Theater."

In this space, enemies can't hit you, but you can easily kill anyone.

Within the range of this theater, the caster could control everything!

....

The silver hair strands spread infinitely and quickly found a few more surviving members of the surrounding team; Su Lun didn't even have to go there himself to strangle them one by one.

There were still two second-tier professionals hidden in the space, and they hadn't realized what was going on as the silver hair spread.

But as they saw the threads binding them, a frantic voice came through the communicator.

"Damn it, Lloyd what are you doing!"

"Nidum, be careful, those are not Lloyd's threads, they're Su Lun's!"

"How is that possible, how could he have 'Puppet Theater'?"

"..."

No one could understand it if they were in their shoes.

How could a wanted criminal suddenly learn the unique mystic art of Lloyd's lineage?

However, think as they might, they still had to fight.

The prey in the net struggled more and more vigorously...

Suddenly, the voice of "Blood Crow" Langfero cursing furiously came through the communicator again, "That kid might have some rapid learning skills or some cursed item! Damn it, our operation this time is completely exposed, there must be a mole by Young Master Danze!"

Su Lun listened, expressionless.

Being guessed was not an issue now; at this point, they could no longer turn the tide.

The two, being second-tier professionals, were not lacking in means. Although they were trapped by the hair strands, they were still struggling and fighting back, but their positions were completely exposed and confined within a limited range.

Su Lun didn't have time to waste with them long and raised his hand, chopping at them with a black sickle.

On the other side, since a strand of hair had already tied someone's feet, he pulled out his fire gun and precisely fired three stacked shots.

Both sides fell silent at the same time.

Su Lun walked over, first harvesting the soul of the fire mage Nidum.

Then...

On taking another look, he harvested a soul fragment named "Rhodes" from "Blood Crow" Langfero's body — a first-tier professional's soul?

Su Lun let out a soft "huh," then quickly realized something.

He chuckled, "These guys from the Crow Gang really do have some strange life-preserving skills..."

The attire was Langfero's, and so was the storage ring.

There were no heartbeat or breathing sounds nearby; the false death was flawless.

If it had been anyone else, they might have been fooled.

But soul shards could not lie.

This body was merely a scapegoat.

Su Lun looked at the dozen or so bodies nearby but couldn't determine where that guy was hiding.

But he didn't want to waste any more time.

Without any warning, he drew out his "Blue Demon" and decided to... shoot them one by one!

"Pop!"

"Pop!"

"Pop!"

"..."

While he was about to shoot each body to make sure they were dead, one of the bodies suddenly came to life.

Realizing his false death had been discovered, Langfero sprang up.

He wanted to flee, but how could Su Lun leave this guy alive?

At such a close distance, he drew "Poison Snake" and fired three shots at him, hitting right in the chest.

The body crashed down, and Langfero's face bore an expression of disbelief.

With that, all six second-tier professionals in this space had been killed.