The most shameless alchemist in history

"Alright, since you're so good, then tell me what it was that bounced you away?" Du Lei chuckled and looked at him with a smile.

"Well, this..." Leopard Tail was at a loss. Although he knew about mithril, he didn't know about other substances.

"Can't quite put your finger on it, huh?" Du Lei had anticipated this reaction and was somewhat gloating.

"So what if I can't explain it? I don't think you know either, you're just trying to be mysterious, aren't you?" Leopard Tail retorted angrily to Du Lei.

"It's a magic-suppressing stone." Du Lei stopped teasing him and directly revealed the name of the substance.

"Anti-magic stone? What is that?" Leopard Tail frowned; it was the first time he had ever heard of such a thing.

“I’ve only read about it in books. It’s a mineral that can block magical energy, and it also has the effect of reflecting magical energy. It’s like… oil meeting fire. Magical energy is like oil, and the anti-magic stone is like fire. Using magical energy on the anti-magic stone will result in a backlash,” Dure explained.

"How can such a thing still exist? Isn't it a natural counter to magic users?" Leopard Tail broke out in a cold sweat upon hearing this.

“The world is full of wonders. There are many strange and unusual substances in this world. Don’t be surprised. Of course, I’ve only heard of them before. Even someone as experienced as you has never seen them. It seems that this kind of thing is indeed very rare.” Du Lei sighed.

Although he had a lot of opinions about Leopard Tail, it was undeniable that Leopard Tail had reached the Steel Rank level at such a young age, which was already outstanding. Even Leopard Tail didn't know that the Anti-Magic Stone was extremely rare, yet such a rare item appeared in Harrenburg and was used on them.

“This is troublesome. If we’re trapped by these broken stones, we won’t be able to get out. Are we just going to have to watch Miss Winry and the others get stuck and do nothing? Hey, didn’t you just say that cult…” Leopard Tail was getting anxious.

Because he had just heard Dure mention that the Order was very likely after Winry, which would put Winry in great danger!

"Don't worry, even if we have magic-suppressing stones, they can't trap us." Du Lei remained calm and unhurried.

"What? You have a way to deal with the anti-magic stone?" Leopard Tail was stunned. In his mind, although Du Lei was a little clever, he was just an ordinary mid-level magic user. He hadn't even crossed the threshold of the high-level, and he was still two levels below him.

He didn't think Dure could get past the magic-suppressing stone, which even he himself was helpless against.

"Of course not," Du Lei waved his hand.

"Then aren't you just talking nonsense?" Leopard Tail said irritably.

"While I can't deal with the anti-magic stone, I can pick locks," Dure said, stretching. The most shameless alchemist in history.

Chapter 466 Fireworks Display

Night fell once again on this city that had been reduced to ruins many years ago. The moonlight in the sky was desolate and pale. If everything had gone smoothly, Winry and her party would have left Harrenhal by now. However, their progress was not going well, and they were captured by an unknown cult.

Wenli and Bailing were in a better position; they were merely "invited" to a small building and their movements were restricted. However, Du Lei and the others were not in such a good situation. Wenli had a vague feeling that something was wrong, but there was nothing she could do but wait anxiously on the balcony.

By the dim moonlight, on the hillside to the right of the small building, one could just see the back of someone pacing back and forth. Wen Li, who was pacing on the small building, naturally had no idea that someone was watching her from more than a hundred meters away. The person watching her was a middle-aged man who looked to be around thirty years old.

He wore a long black robe, unlike the black robes worn by the followers of the Harrenhal order. His robe was far superior in both material and tailoring, especially the gold leaf embroidered on the chest, which was particularly eye-catching.

"Lord Julian, everything is prepared as you instructed. A large amount of gunpowder and oil have been buried near the building. All it takes is to light the fuse, and the entire building will be reduced to ashes with a 'bang.' No one will know who died there or what happened."

Beside the middle-aged man in black robes was a bishop-like figure dressed in a magnificent red robe. If Winry saw this man, she would certainly recognize him, for this man, who appeared to be around forty years old, was none other than Bishop Zepha of this church. Zepha had introduced himself before and had been very enthusiastic.

"What about the people who escorted her? Especially that man named Kotetsu, he's not someone to be trifled with. Are you sure there won't be any problems?" The man called "Julian" was very cautious, and he confirmed some details with Zefa again.

"Don't worry, Lord Julian, Kotetsu has been imprisoned. Although he is a warrior who is only one step away from 'Flame Rank', he is being closely monitored by someone of the same rank who is also close to him. He won't come to cause trouble." Bishop Zefa said confidently.

"Surveillance? Why not just kill Kotetsu?" Julian frowned, clearly not satisfied with how Kotetsu was dealt with.

"The death of an envoy from the Land of Snow within the territory of the Land of Mountains, especially for someone of Miss Winry's noble status, would be difficult to resolve without revealing a murderer?" Bishop Zephat said with a smile, as if he had expected Julian to ask this question.

"You mean... to let Kotetsu play the role of the one who kills the messenger?" Julian nodded thoughtfully and turned to ask.

"After the small building was engulfed in flames and Miss Wenli tragically perished, we pursued the murderer with grief and anger, captured the fleeing traitor Kotetsu, and after a fierce battle, Kotetsu remained stubborn and was eventually wiped out. I think this outcome is acceptable to all parties."

Bishop Zephat had already made proper arrangements and plans, which were even more thorough than what Julian had instructed him to do.

“You did a great job. What about the others? As far as I know, besides Hu Che, there are a few other guards.” Julian nodded in agreement. He then asked the others, having already gathered ample intelligence since he was in Herenberg.

"Lord Julian, you can rest assured that the others have all been imprisoned. They will all be executed at almost the same time the small building is set on fire, leaving no trace of trouble." Bishop Zephat spoke slowly and deliberately, showing no haste and demonstrating great patience.

“Very good. As long as things here are resolved, then regarding your activities in the Kingdom of Mountains within the Order of Light…” The middle-aged man named Julian paused here, then smiled slightly, his smile playful.

“Our Order of Light, and... the Order’s business, still needs to rely heavily on Lord Julian.” Bishop Zephat was very perceptive. He was not satisfied with the current situation where the Order of Light was only developing around Harrenhal. He was eager to expand the Order’s influence.

However, to expand the influence of his cult, he needed to find a powerful backer. Otherwise, the other party could easily eliminate him with just a word. Therefore, he had no choice but to find Julian and agree to Julian's request to work for them, even at the cost of becoming their lackey.

“As long as things are done well, everything else is fine. The evening breeze is a bit chilly, so I’m going back now. I’m really looking forward to the grand fireworks display tonight… ‘Bang!’” Julian looked towards the small building in the distance, made a pinching gesture with his hand, and then suddenly let go.

After giving a strange smile, he turned and left the hillside. He originally thought that it would take some effort to handle things properly, but he didn't expect that Bishop Zefa was so good at handling things and had already arranged everything perfectly, so he hardly had to put in any effort.

What an interesting person!

The moonlight poured silently from the sky, its vastness revealing a touch of desolation. Even Du Lei, Leopard Tail, and Ape Arm, who were imprisoned in the dungeon, could vaguely see the moonlight through the cracks in the ground. Du Lei remained calm and composed, but Leopard Tail was extremely anxious.

"Hey kid, how long are you going to wait? If you keep waiting, it'll be too late. You said you could get out, right? You're not just bragging, are you?" Leopard Tail pointed at Du Lei and scolded him, he really wanted to punch Du Lei in the face.

"What's the rush? Even if you rashly unlock the door and go out now, you'll run into a lot of Order warriors. Are you going to fight your way through?" Du Lei wasn't as flustered as Leopard Tail. He slapped Leopard Tail's hand away and asked him a question.

"Well... it's not like it's impossible. With their limited skills, they can't stop me!" Leopard Tail said with great confidence.

"Who is bragging? It would be one thing to deal with those cultists wielding clubs, but the well-equipped cult warriors are not so easy to deal with. At the very least, they are all at least mid-level in strength, and they are all wearing mithril armor that is immune to magic energy."

Dure showed no mercy in exposing the leopard's tail; he had an extremely clear understanding of the current situation.

“You…” Leopard Tail wanted to refute him, but the words stuck in his throat and he swallowed them back.

Because Durrell is right.

“So don’t rush, we must wait until they are most relaxed before we can escape smoothly.” Dure already had his plan.

"When are they most relaxed?" Leopard Tail immediately pressed.

“When the shift changes,” Du Lei replied.

"Shift change? When do they change shifts? Do they need to notify you when they change shifts?" Leopard Tail said irritably.

“Of course.” Dure nodded.

"What?" Leopard Tail thought he had misheard.

"Shh, they're changing shifts now, right now!" Dure made a shushing gesture, closed his eyes for a moment, then suddenly opened them! The most shameless alchemist in history.

Chapter 467 The Boy in the Ruins

Leopard Tail couldn't understand Du Lei's talk about shift changes, because since they were captured and put into the dungeon, they hadn't seen any guards. The cell doors, made of mithril and anti-magic stones, were enough to keep them immobile. According to Du Lei, the guards were all stationed at the only exit outside.

Of course, these were all Du Lei's judgments. Leopard Tail was completely baffled until Du Lei suddenly rushed to the cell door, pulled out a wire from somewhere, poked at the keyhole for a moment, and the originally impregnable cell door opened with a "click".

"It actually opened! You've got some skills, kid. Hey, how can you be so sure the guards changed shifts? If you're wrong, wouldn't we be walking right into a trap if we rushed out now?" Leopard Tail and Ape Arm followed Du Lei out of the cell, wondering as they ran.

“Of course, it’s thanks to this.” Dure pointed to his head.

"Relying on... your brain? Stop showing off. Do you think you're the only smart person in the world?" Leopard Tail was not satisfied with this answer.

"Not brain, ears," Du Lei corrected, knowing that if he told Leopard Tail that his brain was better than his, Leopard Tail would definitely get angry.

"Ears?" Leopard Tail thought carefully, recalling Durei's reaction at the time.

"That's right, it's the ears. The guards wear special boots that make a 'clanging' sound when they walk. They work in teams of twelve, and when the footsteps of twenty-four men are heard, it's time for the shift to change. There is a three-minute break between shifts."

As Du Lei spoke, he explained in a low voice that the dungeon was very deep, and they had already traveled several dozen meters in this short time.

"Hey, you're not kidding, are you? This... you can even tell something like this? Isn't that a bit too amazing?" Leopard Tail's eyes widened. This was simply too unbelievable for him. He had ears too, so how come he didn't hear it?

"As long as you can calm down and observe carefully, you can always find clues." Du Lei didn't seem to care about this, thinking it was normal.

"Calming down and all that... that's too much of a stretch for me. Hey, wait a minute, if we just barge out like this, won't we be facing twenty-four soldiers from the Order?" Leopard Tail stopped and asked with wide eyes, realizing something was wrong.

“Of course not. If I were facing twenty-four cult soldiers, why would I choose this time? I’m not crazy. When the shift changes, the soldiers will change their equipment. The whole process takes about three minutes. Do you understand?” Dure asked back.

"You mean we should rush out while they're changing their equipment?" Leopard Tail roughly understood some of what he meant.

"That's about right, but it's not just that." Dure nodded, but he only agreed halfway.

"What do you mean by 'not only that'?" Leopard Tail continued to ask.

“That’s not all… that’s what it means.” Dure stopped and pointed ahead. Only then did Leopard Tail realize that there were a large number of cells directly in front of him. The entire dungeon was laid out in a straight line, and their cell was located at the deepest part.

When they left the depths, what appeared before them were numerous ordinary prison cells, in which hundreds of people were imprisoned!

Meanwhile, on the other side of the church, Kotetsu, whose hands and feet were shackled, was confronting his younger brother, Kogen.

“I never thought I would see you again, after so many years… to be precise, twenty-four years later, you have actually returned to this place.” Hu Yuan stared at his brother, his gaze complex, containing both pain and struggle.

“Yes, I don’t want to come back to this place either. I thought you were all dead. Years ago, I sent people back to investigate, but there was no trace of you. But I never expected that you not only survived, but also grew the cult into what it is today.” Kotetsu sighed deeply.

"Dead? Almost certainly dead. When you abandoned us and left this place, we were all dead. It was the power of hatred that kept us alive!" Hu Yuan roared loudly, filled with resentment and pain.

"The existence of the Order is a mistake, and I am merely correcting a mistake," Kotetsu said slowly after a pause.

In that instant, his thoughts began to wander. Memories he thought he had forgotten many years ago resurfaced clearly. It was thirty years ago, when he was a boy, exactly one year after the "Hrenburg Incident".

I remember it was raining that day. The heavy rain washed away the stench that filled the air. After nearly a year of cleaning, the corpses piled up in Harrenhal were finally cleared away. The organization that proposed cleaning up the corpses was called the Order of Light.

The task was carried out by a large group of teenagers aged between ten and seventeen or eighteen. They were hired by the cult to clean up the corpses. In the Harrenhal incident a year ago, the once prosperous city was almost completely wiped out, leaving only an empty city.

The city was filled with an atmosphere of death and destruction. Vultures and rotting rats were everywhere, even in large groups. They were not afraid of people and gnawed on the corpses of the dead. This was a hell on earth, but a paradise for these rotting flesh!

"You despicable bastards, get out of here! Don't even think about disturbing the peace of the dead. Oh, once we've moved all the corpses in this block, we'll be all done." A teenager chased away a nearby vulture. He was a little scared when he first came here, but he gradually got used to it.

"Kotetsu, Kotetsu, over there...it seems like someone is moving over there!" Just then, a terrified voice came from the other side. The boy called "Kotetsu" turned his head to look and saw a boy of similar age sitting on the ground in fright.

"Huyuan, what are you talking about? There are dead people over there. How can dead people move? Don't scare yourself." Hu Che grinned. Although he said he didn't care, he still walked over because he only had this one brother, this one relative.

"But he's really moving! Look, it's Kotetsu!" The boy named Kogen said, his voice trembling with tears.

He wasn't like Kotetsu, who was recklessly bold from a young age. He was only twelve years old, and it was normal for him to be afraid at that age.

"Over there... Zephyr, come quick, something seems to be happening!" Kotetsu initially thought Kogen was joking, but realizing something was wrong, he immediately called out to the side, and a trusted partner rushed over. The most shameless alchemist in history.

Chapter 468 Priests and Warriors

The boy named Kotetsu was quite frightened by the commotion coming from the other side. Although he was considered an outstanding figure among these children, he was only twelve years old after all. He was surrounded by a pile of dead people, some of whom had been dead for a year and whose bodies were rotting, some of whom were even just skeletons.

At this moment, it suddenly moved, which was hard not to feel fear. If it were anyone else, they would probably have run far away long ago. But Hu Che knew that if he didn't go and deal with this, no one among these people would step forward. Besides, the person closest to the corpse was his younger brother!

"Kochetsu, what could be wrong? What happened?" A boy named Zefa, who was not far away, also rushed over. He was Kotetsu's right-hand man. The two of them had done many things that others dared not do together, and they were well-known figures in the area. He immediately brought a few people over.

"Look over there at Hu Yuan, that corpse keeps moving!" Hu Che dared not be careless in the slightest. He barely dared to breathe and cautiously approached.

"Big brother, please save me! Could we have encountered some kind of ghost?" Hu Yuan's voice was trembling with tears. Although he was taller than Hu Che, he was very thin and frail. He sat down on the ground, trembling all over.

"Hu Yuan, don't be afraid. With your big brother here, everything will be alright. Whether you're a ghost or a dead soul, you're already dead, so don't even think about causing trouble anymore. Ze Fa, let's go together!" Hu Che gritted his teeth, touched the dagger at his waist, and exchanged glances with Ze Fa from a distance.

Even though the others nearby hesitated, Kotetsu knew he had no time to hesitate any longer. He lunged toward where the corpse had moved, his sharp dagger ready to slit the other's neck. Zephyr on the other side did the same thing!