Mechanical Alchemist

Su Lun was still unaware of the undercurrents swirling outside the auction house, nor did he know what the "Super Mechanical Warrior" blueprints meant to the two great empires.

But he guessed that with so many big shots drawn to this auction, it wouldn't be simple.

The auction continued.

Only the finest items would make it to the auction.

All that came from Old Lington were ancient relics, many of which were rare and unique and unavailable elsewhere.

Due to the usual auction attracting many wealthy outsiders, the bidding prices were driven very high.

The wealthy arms dealers on the second floor were generous with their funds, and often, just a few bids were enough to outprice the individual attendees on the first floor.

Many of the treasures ended up in their hands.

...

Su Lun was not particularly interested in the prosthetic materials and was waiting for the slave auction during the intermission.

He also prayed that nothing chaotic would happen.

Unexpectedly, before the slave auction could start, a secret technique of great interest to him appeared in the early part of the auction.

At that moment, a lady brought out a tray.

The auctioneer on stage pointed to the blue scroll on the tray, stating, "The next item for auction is quite significant… I'm sure everyone has heard of the 'Four Servant Gods' secret techniques of earth, wind, water, and fire… Yes! This scroll is one of them, the complete secret technique of Fire [Inexistence]! The starting bid is one million kroner…"

As soon as these words were spoken, whispers immediately spread among the crowd below.

Clearly, this secret technique was indeed well-known to all.

"The 'Four Servant Gods' secret techniques, legend says it's a top-tier fire control technique. Even the imperial auction house might not feature such a high-class secret technique. It's truly rare."

"Isn't this a royal family exclusive secret technique? To think the auction house would have it… I'm quite curious about who the owner of this batch of goods is. With such a technique, why would anyone sell it rather than keep it hidden?"

"This batch of items all seem to have significant origins. Could it be that some major thief has robbed the royal treasury? Yikes… Selling the technique is possible, but apart from royal family members, wouldn't others fear breaking the law by learning it?"

"I think it's the pirates. Only those reckless robbers would dare to do such a thing…"

"..."

Hearing these snippets of conversation around him, Su Lun's face also showed a slightly strange expression.

He knew the [Inexistence] secret technique was powerful, but he had not considered it particularly special before.

In Old Lington, such ancient secret techniques were numerous, and any expert nearly always had one or two secret weapons.

Now, hearing these people's discussions, he realized that such secret techniques were extremely rare in the outside world.

Su Lun also felt the urge to acquire it.

Although he knew part of the [Inexistence] secret technique, it was, after all, fragmented pieces stripped from a corpse.

In Old Lington, people could not advance beyond the third tier, and at most, they could only master parts of it.

It was like having a secret manual with ten levels but only being able to practice up to the third level.

And what Su Lun had stripped was just part of those three levels.

Now that the complete secret technique scroll had appeared, he naturally did not want to miss it.

However… the price of the cultivation technique was also somewhat outrageous.

The starting bid was already one million kroner?

Unexpectedly, for the wealthy, this was not only not high, it was actually low!

As soon as the bidding started, the wealthy patrons on the second floor instantly drove the price up to two million kroner.

....

Watching the price soar, Su Lun's eyelids twitched violently.

Indeed, prices vary by region.

The cost of goods in Old Lington is vastly different from the outside world.

He thought he was quite wealthy, having sold what he could, and by his estimates, had about eight or ten billion lisuo (excluding secret techniques and scrolls)...

Now, buying a secret technique costs a few billion?

The pace of the auction was fast. At this moment, the auctioneer was loudly announcing, "Good! The esteemed guest in booth number three bids two million three hundred thousand kroner. Any higher bids?"

Seeing the hammer about to fall,

Su Lun, seeing that no one else was raising the bid, raised his paddle once and bid two million four hundred thousand.

Money could be earned back, but if he missed out on this piece, he wasn't sure where else he could procure a complete secret technique.

As for something being a "royal exclusive secret technique" and prohibited...

Su Lun didn't think much about it because he knew it anyway.

This was an ancient secret technique from archaeological discoveries; adding "royal exclusive" meant no one else could practice it?

....

This secret technique was very special; throughout the process, only a few military arms dealers on the second floor raised the price against each other.

It was strange when someone from the first floor made a bid, as a rather abrupt atmosphere enveloped the entire hall, which suddenly quieted down.

Oddly enough, after Su Lun raised his paddle, no one else made a higher offer.

He successfully won the bid for this scroll.

Meanwhile, in booth number three, the last bidder, a middle-aged man in a suit smoking a cigar, scoffed coldly.

Having his item snatched was naturally displeasing to him.

It wasn't a matter of money; he simply wanted to retrieve the secret technique that had ended up outside. A few royal relatives fighting over it was one thing, but who would have thought someone else would dare to bid?

The middle-aged man flicked his cigar against the wall, sparking flames, "Heh, royal secret techniques aren't for just anyone to learn."

As soon as he said this, a brawny bodyguard immediately responded, "Should I check it out, sir?"

The middle-aged man's flash of anger disappeared, and he quickly realized something, his eyes shifting as he muttered, "Knowing it's a royal secret technique, and knowing that it was I who was bidding, yet daring to spend so much money to buy it, the intent here mustn't be simple... We came for the schematics, could it be some competitor setting a trap?"

After a moment of thought, motivated by curiosity, he continued, "Hmm... find a local snake to sneak a look first; don't get us involved."

Bodyguard: "Yes, sir."

The middle-aged man was Keller Fischel, the big boss of 'Cobra War Armaments', one of the three major arms dealers in the imperial capital, a legislator.

The centuries-long war with Mafa brought huge profits to these arms dealers, and their deeply entangled network of relationships made them an indispensable part of the Luying Empire. These were the true power-holders, the big shots who could make a real difference by merely stamping their foot in Old Lington.

The super mechanical warrior technology held by Duke Raphael was something that other lords, and even the Bonnar royal family, had long coveted. But lords have their own rights, and a Grand Duke already belonged to the highest nobility, so no one dared covet this technology.

Now with this unexpected opportunity, they naturally wanted to seize it.

As for the military intelligence office?

They could go to hell.

....

Su Lun visited the trading room, exchanged some items, and finally swapped them for that complete "No Servant" secret technique.

The auction's items weren't getting progressively more expensive; they had ups and downs, and the "No Servant" scroll was among the most valuable in its segment.

When Su Lun returned, he didn't wait long and just in time for the mid-segment slave auction.

A group of sub-humans was brought onto the auction stage, about twenty or thirty individuals packed into a large iron cage.

They were all chained at the hands and feet, with explosive collars around their necks.

The male sub-humans were as sturdy as tigers and leopards, while the females had graceful figures and beautiful faces.

The physically weak or those diseased had been killed during the raids already.

These were the actual commodities of the auction.

As soon as this batch of slaves was brought out, the wealthy merchants who had been waiting to buy slaves became noisy.

"Oh... full of wildness, they have much more flavor than those domesticated sub-humans."

"Hehe, the quality is very high. If the quality of goods is all like these few rabbit breed sub-humans, after proper training and placing them in pleasure houses, they'd surely be wildly popular, earning at least ten times the profit..."

"...."

Watching the humans below pointing and commenting, the sub-humans beat against the iron cages, letting out beast-like indomitable roars.

Su Lun's gaze also fell on those sub-humans, trying to distinguish which one was the individual Mr. Jing had mentioned might have a special identity.

But it seemed somewhat difficult to tell, they all looked quite similar within their species.

As soon as the starting bid was announced, the price quickly began to rise.

Su Lun also raised his placard twice, and the price quickly soared to over eighty million.

After that, the number of people bidding decreased.

Sub-human slaves were priced higher than humans, typically ranging from 300,000 to 500,000 kroner per piece if the quality was good. Meaning this batch of two hundred shouldn't cost more than one billion to be reasonable.

After all, sub-humans still needed taming, and the more feral, the harder to tame.

How many of them would ultimately survive, of the two hundred, was yet to be seen.

But he didn't expect that box number three on the second floor would bid again, "One billion!"

That guy directly pushed the price to a high level that normal merchants would not dare to touch.

Su Lun looked on and calmly raised his placard again, "One billion one hundred million!"

Had they been ordinary slaves, he really wouldn't have been interested.

But he had promised to help Mr. Jing with this task, to rescue this batch of sub-humans.

No matter how high the price, he had to buy them. Only with a legal ownership certificate could he send those sub-humans out to sea.

If someone else successfully bid for them, that would have been even more troublesome.

"One billion five hundred million!"

"Two billion!"

"Two billion five hundred million!"

Box number three also repeatedly increased their bid, and Su Lun followed suit each time.

Su Lun knew they were likely testing his attitude and identity because he had previously bid on the "Wushi".

But after all, it was just a batch of slaves; the price couldn't go much higher.

Later, with each bid Su Lun made, he bid quite high, giving off the impression of deliberately inflating the price.

He understood well that his small fortune was practically insignificant in the eyes of those major arms dealers.

Without playing some tricks, he definitely couldn't close the deal.

The opponent did not care about the small amount of money, but they certainly didn't want to be the "sucker".

In the eyes of onlookers, Su Lun was merely engaging in a stubborn contest with the person in box number three.

The bystanders were just enjoying the spectacle.

The more casually Su Lun shouted his bids, the more cautious the person in box number three became.

Perhaps suspecting Su Lun was a shill hired by that group of pirates, box number three finally quieted down.

Eventually, he purchased the batch of slaves at a price more than double the market value.

....

Having paid the money, Su Lun left the auction house without waiting for the final lot to be auctioned.

Though he guessed that the final auction item was the "Super Mechanical Warrior Blueprints" and he was very interested in obtaining a copy to study,

Given the current circumstances, the upcoming auctions were simply out of his financial reach.

Moreover, the increasingly tense atmosphere at the auction also led Su Lun to speculate that the nerve mechanical technology secretly researched by Duke Rafael was probably top-tier in the terrestrial world.

Otherwise, there wouldn't be so many major arms dealers and emissaries from places like the Mechanical Holy Land of the Mafa Empire competing in the auction.

He had a vague premonition that, no matter who ended up securing the blueprints, the matter wouldn't just quietly resolve itself.

After all, there was an ongoing war between two nations.

....

Soon after, at dock number seven of Gadronte Harbor.

This was a regular cargo dock.

Su Lun had previously purchased a sea vessel and stocked it with ample fresh water and food.

Without waiting long, auction house staff drove a steam tractor to the dock, delivering several large iron cages covered with tarps.

The laborers unloaded the cages and pulled back the tarps.

Trapped inside the cages, were the two hundred sub-humans he had purchased.

Suddenly exposed to the light, the untamed sub-humans showed their fierce eyes and stared menacingly at the humans before them.

Murderous intent and hatred were almost tangible.

If not for the chains and cages restraining them, these sub-humans would likely tear the humans before them to shreds.

The staff member, pointing to the labels on the cages, said, "Sir, this is the merchandise you purchased; please inspect it."

Su Lun looked over it and found no issues.

Seeing him alone, the staff member kindly offered, "Sir, do you need help moving them onto the ship?"

Su Lun shook his head, "No need. Just give me the keys."

"Ah? Oh..."

The staff member hesitated but did not ask further, passing over a bunch of keys.

These were the keys to unlock the slave chains and the explosive collars around their necks, with these, the slaves couldn't escape.

Once the staff member was far enough away, Su Lun looked at the group of sub-humans in the cage, then asked, "Does anyone speak the common language?"

The only response was hateful glares.

The sub-humans completely ignored his query.

"..."

Su Lun sighed slightly, vexed, murmuring to himself, "Mr. Jing did say that the Druids from the Dalu tribe should know the common language."

Hopefully, he hadn't purchased the wrong people.

Su Lun tried a different approach, uttering a strange phrase, "&*%ф%￥ё￥..."

This was a vow told to him by Mr. Jing, used when a contract was signed long ago, meaning, "A sealed deal cannot be broken, beauty is but a blooming flower, friendship is the everlasting boulder."

Upon hearing this, the sub-humans in a few of the iron cages immediately calmed down.

The murderous intent in their eyes instantly turned to confusion as they looked at Su Lun, filled with perplexity.

Seeing this reaction, Su Lun finally breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that his money had been well spent.

But that was the only Dalu phrase he knew; having said it, he switched back to the common language, "You should know what that phrase means. I mean no harm."

He paused for a moment and pulled out the Mammoth Amulet he had obtained earlier from a Pirate lackey, then said, "Entrusted by others, following the ancient covenant, I have now rescued you. There is enough water and food on the ship, and you can take it to return to the North. Of course, if you cannot sail, I can help you hire some sailors..."

After a pause, he looked at the group of people with confused expressions and asked, "So, did you understand what I said?"

There was another awkward silence.

Looking at their baffled eyes, it was clear that these people really hadn't understood him.

Su Lun felt that if they didn't understand, things might get a bit troublesome.

Although he no longer felt any murderous intent, he still dared not open the iron cage.

Unexpectedly, at that moment, a bear-like person over two meters tall spoke up, "May I ask, sir, where did you hear that phrase?"

Su Lun countered, "Are you a Druid of the Dalu tribe?"

The black bear person nodded and said, "Yes, you can call me Pasu."

With a complicated look in his eyes, Pasu spoke with a sorrowful tone, "Nowadays, humans only call us 'subhuman slaves'; no one calls us by our tribe name, Dalu, anymore."

Being able to communicate was a good thing.

Su Lun also let out a sigh of relief.

He had always thought Druids would be like wise old men, not expecting one to be this burly bear-like individual. If he wasn't mistaken, he had just seen him being displayed on the stage earlier.

Unsure of how to introduce Mr. Jing's identity, he thought and then showed off the ring on his hand, "Seraya's Blessing."

On the ring, there happened to be the crest of Isaac's family.

All he said was, "The person who entrusted me is currently handling other matters and can't come right now. She asked me to tell you that someone still remembers the ancient covenant, and the friendship between humans and the Dalu tribe will not fade."

Initially, such lightweight words felt a bit unreliable to Su Lun.

After all, the process of capturing slaves was extremely bloody.

The people before him were all robust, and the elderly, weak, sick, and disabled had been killed during the capture.

In other words, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that humans had committed genocide against the subhumans.

It definitely was not something that a few words could resolve.

Unexpectedly, these individuals were surprisingly easy to communicate with.

Seeing the crest on the ring, the people inside the cage immediately understood something, filled with surprise and excitement.

Upon hearing Su Lun's words, the black bear person even nodded in agreement, his eyes showing utter belief.

Then, he spoke to the other subhumans in the cage using an incomprehensible language.

This Druid seemed to hold a very high status; as he spoke, the members of the Dalu tribe instantly quieted down. They then looked at Su Lun with the same incredible, grateful, shocked, and friendly complex expressions.

In those looks, Su Lun no longer felt any hostility at all.

....

Su Lun couldn't understand how an "ancient covenant" could be so powerful that it immediately made them set aside a vendetta capable of justifying genocide.

However, it was a positive sign, allowing him to open the cage without reservation, and he handed them the key to unlock the explosive collars.

With the collars removed from their necks, the Dalu people were somewhat incredulous—had they really regained their freedom?

Then, the group of Dalu people collectively bowed deeply to Su Lun, performing a chest-protecting gesture, "We thank the warrior for his rescue; the Dalu tribe will forever remember this favor."

Listening to the term "warrior," Su Lun felt a bit awkward—he had merely spent some money, hardly anything heroic.

The real thanks should go to Mr. Jing.

Thinking it was a language nuance of the Dalu tribe, he didn't take it seriously nor take the credit, saying, "You're welcome, it's just something I was entrusted with."

Now was not the time for idle chat.

Luckily, these people knew how to sail the ship themselves, so he didn't need to hire any sailors for them.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Su Lun saw the people onto the ship,

weighed anchor, and set sail.

Although the ship was filled with sub-humans, the dock manager looked a bit suspicious, but with Su Lun's complete slave ownership documents, he wasn't troubled.

As long as the ship left the harbor, the matter would be considered concluded.

Su Lun and these sub-humans were meeting for the first time, and could hardly speak of any friendship. Apart from being polite, there wasn't much to talk about.

Unexpectedly, just at the moment of departure, a sub-human from the Black Bear tribe named Pasu made a praying gesture on deck, his hands emitting a bright green light.

When he opened his eyes again, there was a wise gleam in them that didn't match his robust physique at all.

Su Lun looked on in confusion, not understanding what he was doing.

However, unexpectedly, Pasu said, "Warrior, the prophecy tells me that you will face a deadly peril in the future. But... the ocean will protect you."

Su Lun's eyelids twitched slightly, "..."

Deadly peril?

There indeed were professionals with the talent of prophecy, but ninety-nine percent of those who claimed they could prophesy on the market were swindlers.

The so-called prophecies were just some conclusions made after eavesdropping.

However, Mr. Jing said that the druids of the Dalu tribe... were truly adept at prophecy!

Seeing that the ship was about to leave, Su Lun instinctively asked, "Mr. Pasu, what do you mean by this prophecy?"

Pasu shook his head, no longer speaking, only smiling and blessing, "Warrior, the Nature Goddess will protect you."

Saying this, a group of sub-humans on the ship also made a fist-holding prayer gesture, as if simultaneously blessing Su Lun.

Prophecies came at a great cost.

Seeing this, Su Lun decided not to ask further, simply waving his hand towards the slowly departing ship.

But he thought to himself that he was an alchemist, without any faith in deities.

He did not believe that the Nature Goddess would protect him.

However, Su Lun did not dismiss Pasu's prophecy just like that.

If it was a "deadly peril," then it was no small matter.

"The ocean will protect me?"

Su Lun frowned tightly, pondering in his mind, "Does it mean there's a danger on land and I should head to the sea quickly? Or should I jump into the sea when encountering danger?"

This world was full of mythical stories about "prophecy."

If it wasn't a swindler or faulty prophecy skills, the content of a prophecy implied that certain events would definitely occur.

That is to say, was he bound to encounter deadly peril once?

Su Lun immediately took it seriously.

And just then, several glances filled with hostility were already sweeping over him.

"People from the Sea Serpent Gang?"

Su Lun looked at those, who were clearly dressed like gangsters, thinking: These guys don't really qualify as a "deadly peril" for me.

....

The Sea Serpent Gang was a local force in Gadronte, but such a gang was far inferior to the three big gangs in Old Spiriton Outer City with their chaotic order.

These guys were only involved in petty theft, smuggling, and extorting foreigners on normal days.

Although the gang had a few third-tier professionals, and the cadre was second-tier, their strength was quite average.

After all, they didn't have much survival pressure and joined the gang purely out of laziness. Those with a bit of ability all thought of attaching themselves to nobles or merchants to seek a better future.

Su Lun watched as several individuals clad in leather and carrying firearms approached, his face showing no sign of panic.

His gaze didn't linger on the seemingly unstable walkers; instead, he scrutinized the shadowy areas around him.

He sensed a total of eight people—six were closing in, one keeping watch, and another perched on a distant tower with a sniper rifle aimed at him.

These guys were familiar with the docks, and their arrival meant the disappearance of the dock's administrator.

A few people began to encircle Su Lun.

The leader, with his explosive hairstyle, was recognized by Su Lun from his peeled memories—Frank "Poison Fang," the vice leader of the Sea Snake Gang, a third-tier assassin proficient with poisons.

Su Lun saw no other formidable presences, and thought that jumping into the sea was unnecessary.

He decided to first assess the situation.

The opposing side, observing Su Lun's lack of movement, stopped nearby. Frank asked, "Brother, where are you from?"

Su Lun played along, counter-questioning, "Where have I possibly offended?"

"Oh... a fellow from the streets then?"

Frank was slightly surprised but a hint of contempt flickered in his eyes.

Since he was from the streets, that meant he wasn't nobility.

His tone no longer polite, "You have offended someone you shouldn't have. Someone is looking for trouble with you. If you have any wealth, better spill it now, or else..."

Upon hearing this, Su Lun's thoughts surged.

He had just arrived in this city and had no old enemies here.

He had thought this might be related to intercepting Viscount Primor, but it seemed not.

Was it then the individual in booth three at the auction?

Su Lun pondered this, yet he was puzzled, as sending mere gang members seemed off for a large military dealer from the capital.

Something didn't feel right.

But thinking he wouldn't get anywhere by asking, Su Lun approached the men in front of him.

If they harbored killing intent, there was no need to hold back.

...

Frank "Poison Fang" became alert as he watched Su Lun walk toward them, shouting, "Hey! Stop right there!"

Su Lun ignored him and didn't pay attention to the gun barrels pointed at him either, boldly moving forward.

The Sea Snake Gang members, intimidated by his imposing presence—originally just probing—hadn't expected him not to utter an extra word, seemingly ready to fight?

However, as a gang used to bullying, who in this territory would dare attack them?

Since the previous plan was also to capture and interrogate Yao Qin, this suited their intentions!

"Hmph!"

Frank snorted coldly, yet unaware of the caliber of opponent he faced.

His hand drew a beautiful arc with his green poison dagger...

But just as he was about to strike, he saw a glistening thread light up around the necks of his underlings.

Frank, relying on instinct, leaned back just in time to avoid the deadly thread.

But his companions didn't react in time, and jets of blood sprayed from their necks, their heads tumbling to the ground.

Frank thought "Not good," realizing he was facing a top-tier fighter.

Almost at the same moment, a "pop" rang out—the distant sniper had fired!

Frank thought it a good opportunity, whether the shot could kill the target or at least create an opening for attack.

As long as his poison dagger could break the skin, no matter how strong, it would be effective!

However, unexpectedly, the man before him, as if foreseeing the shot, swiftly tilted his head just before the gun fired, and then, the bullet noise was heard hitting the ground!

What!

He had just easily dodged a sniper bullet?

The sight shocked Frank to the core.

None of the third-tier professionals he knew could perform such a feat!

Could it be a fourth-tier?

No time to think further,

And another shocking scene occurred right before his eyes.

As soon as the sniper rifle sounded, Su Lun raised his hand and drew his pistol from his waist, firing two shots in quick succession.

One shot returned fire.

One shot targeted the lookout gang member.

Moments later, a faint sound of a hit was heard from the distant tower!

Blind firing with a handgun?

Advanced firearms!

And what kind of marksmanship was that!

Frank was greatly alarmed, and immediately thought of retreating.

He dodged the deadly thread, but his movements were quick as he leaped, trying to dive into the sea to escape.

But Su Lun was faster!

With a loud "thump" of stepping on air, he surged forward by several meters in an instant, and his flying kick sent the airborne figure flying.

Frank was adept in combat skills as an assassin, and Su Lun normally would have needed to expend some effort in close combat.

But he didn't want to delay on the docks. With five puppets pulled out, six against one, it was a quick matter to turn the man into a blood sieve.

.....

Su Lun killed the group from the Sea Snake Gang in two encounters, giving them no chance to signal for help.

Glancing at the bodies on the ground, he puckered his lips and muttered disdainfully, "Such razzle-dazzle..."

Flourishing a dagger in a fight?

Such superfluous motions could be showy among equals, but facing someone like Su Lun with lethal moves, it was purely a death-inviting act.

Both being from gangs, this level of the Sea Snake Gang was far inferior to the Cross Union he was previously with.

Su Lun harvested the souls from a few bodies, obtaining no useful information. He figured those who sent them had merely tried their luck.

He wasn't overly concerned, though.

After all, he planned to leave by boat early the next morning.

The area was clean, and he wouldn't be targeted.

"Checking the time, the auction should have ended by now..."

Su Lun thought this, his mind drifting to the auction. He had a vague premonition that something was about to happen.

Suddenly!

A loud confrontation exploded on nearby Oak Street!

Su Lun abruptly turned toward it, watching the distant flames and discerning the sound of steam boilers exploding, guessing, "Did the mechanical warriors of the Mafa Empire start a fight with people?"