The most shameless alchemist in history

"We'll have to try it to find out if it's reliable. Let's take a look at these lists first, and then we'll each go and visit them separately. Our presence has already alerted the Rock City, so we need to be careful," Du Lei solemnly reminded them.

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607 divided into four routes

According to Dure's plan, they split into four teams based on the list provided by Dom, and each team went to a different place in Rock City to visit four different people. Of course, these four people had something in common: they were all former subordinates of Speaker Varo and held important positions in the Mountain Country.

Durei knew very well that if they wanted to ease the tense border situation between the Mountain Kingdom and the Snow Kingdom, they had to get Speaker Varo back in power. To do this, they needed the help of these four people. Among the four teams, Kotetsu and Ape Arm were one team, while Bee Sting and Leopard Tail were another.

Bailing and Dom were in one team, while the last team consisted of Dure himself and Winry. Dure originally wanted to act alone, but Winry insisted on participating. Her reason was quite valid: she was a member of the royal family of the Snow Kingdom, and her presence would be more convincing.

Dure couldn't leave Winry alone in the hotel, so he had no choice but to take her with him. In the pouring rain, the group filed out of the small hotel and moved in different directions. They didn't have much time left, so they had to act quickly!

"Is our target... General Shanlong, the Minister of the Army of the Mountain Kingdom?" Wenli followed behind Durei, holding an umbrella. There were few pedestrians on the street, and those who did pass by were always in a hurry. Soldiers in uniform patrolled the street from time to time, and the security was much tighter than usual.

“Yes, General Shanlong is a close comrade-in-arms of Speaker Varo. The two have known each other since childhood and have a friendship of over thirty years. He holds a very important position, and if we can get his help, our chances of success will be much higher.” Dure nodded and walked ahead.

He has obtained General Shanlong's address from Dom and is now on his way to General Shanlong's residence.

"I've heard of General Shanlong before. He comes from a prestigious family in the Mountain Kingdom. His father and grandfather were both renowned generals in the Mountain Kingdom. In his generation, he could have easily inherited his father's mantle, but he didn't. Instead, he chose to start as a junior officer and, over the past thirty years, has fought in many wars. He rose to become the Minister of the Army of the Mountain Kingdom through his military achievements. He is a remarkable figure."

Wenli had a very high opinion of General Shanlong and was very confident about her visit to him.

“I’ve heard Dom tell you that General Shanlong is very prestigious in the military of the Mountain Kingdom. Although he has stepped down as Chief of the General Staff, countless people will still respond if he raises his arm. Most importantly, he can mobilize the Mountain Kingdom’s guards,” Dure nodded.

“My mother has told me many times that General Shanlong of the Mountain Kingdom is a man of high moral character. If we can get his support, I think we can definitely turn the situation around.” Wenli followed closely behind Dure. The small puddle on the ground reflected their shadows, and she moved closer.

“However…” Du Lei hesitated, a hint of worry appearing on his face.

"But what?" Wenli looked at him curiously, wondering what Dure was worried about.

"It's nothing, let's go over there first." Du Lei shook his head slightly. He felt that something was not quite right, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

He attributed it to his overthinking and being paranoid. The two quickened their pace and soon disappeared into the heavy rain.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Mountain Kingdom, Colonel Luffy was complaining in his magnificent palace.

"Lord Tamar, look what that Zoren has done! He said he could demolish the prison whenever he wanted, and he just let important prisoners go. This is outrageous! We have to teach him a lesson!" Luffy said indignantly as he recalled what had happened.

“I understand. Warden Zoren did go a bit too far. But Luffy, based on your understanding of Warden Zoren, what reason do you think he has to release the prisoner?” A middle-aged man in an expensive silk robe asked softly, his hands behind his back, in front of Luffy.

He looked to be around forty years old, rather thin, with a small, well-groomed beard. He had a refined and reserved demeanor, and compared to the reckless Luffy, he was a very charming man.

"That Zoren, he's young and successful, and he does everything unpredictably. Who knows what he's up to?" Luffy said angrily. He harbored deep resentment towards Zoren, but he didn't dare to do anything to him.

"Regarding the changes in Rock City, Zoren and his family have always maintained a neutral stance. This is a characteristic of their family. Throughout the history of the Mountain Kingdom, for hundreds of years, they have been neutral, not opportunists. Perhaps this is the secret to their ability to withstand hundreds of years of ups and downs and still stand strong," said Lord Tama, who was none other than the Minister of Finance of the Mountain Kingdom, in a soft voice.

“But if he really is neutral, why did he release the prisoners? Doesn’t his action prove that they have taken a biased stance and are on the opposite side of us?” Luffy’s hatred for Zoren was ingrained in his very bones.

"I will look into this matter. As for the escaped prisoners... I will deal with them separately, so you don't need to worry about it." Lord Tama thought for a moment and replied slowly and methodically. He was an extremely patient person, speaking slowly but clearly and logically.

“But…” Luffy was getting anxious. Judging from Lord Tama’s words, he clearly did not intend to pursue Zoren.

"There are no buts, Lord Luffy. This is a critical time. I hope we can work together to rebuild a great nation." Lord Tama cut off Luffy's words in one fell swoop. Although Luffy was very unwilling, he could only swallow the words that were on his throat.

“I understand, Lord Tama, I will follow your orders.” Luffy nodded and took his leave.

Soon the magnificent palace was empty, leaving only Lord Tama.

"Things don't seem to be going very well," a hoarse voice said.

But apart from Tama, there was no one else to be seen around.

"It's alright, this was expected. As long as we proceed according to plan, everything will be fine," Lord Tama replied calmly.

Although he couldn't see the second person speaking, he knew who that person was.

"I'm entrusting everything to you. I hope you won't let me down, otherwise..." The voice carried a threatening tone.

“I understand, it’s all for the Empire.” Tama looked out the window at the heavy rain.

The storm has only just begun.

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General Shanlong, 608

The heavy rain in Iwa Castle has lasted for a day and a night. Any elderly person who has lived in Iwa Castle for a while knows that such heavy rain has not fallen on this city for many years. Some children are excitedly splashing around in the puddles barefoot, but they are soon taken home by their adults.

It's easy to catch a cold in this kind of weather, and there are no street vendors around. Fortunately, farsighted citizens bought enough vegetables early on and stored them in their cellars. As for those who didn't have enough food at home, they could only go to nearby stores to buy some, but the stores were already sold out.

There used to be a market on the west side of Rock Castle. Some people would brave the heavy rain to sell their goods under the eaves, but there were very few customers. Not far away stood a villa. The villa was magnificent and exquisitely designed, and it was said to be the work of a famous architect.

The villa's gate was tightly closed, appearing gray and hazy under the heavy rain. In the pouring rain, someone came to the villa's door, knocked, and after a while, someone inside responded. After a brief, quiet conversation, a man who looked like a butler came out to greet them and led them into the villa.

The interior of the villa is a hidden gem, with every plant and tree meticulously crafted. The corridors are adorned with numerous works of art, all clearly of considerable value.

The visitors were very young. One was a boy of only fourteen or fifteen years old, dressed in a blue collared shirt, while his companion wore a black hooded cloak. It was impossible to tell what she looked like, but one could vaguely make out the outline of a graceful young woman.

"Please come this way, the master is painting in his study." The butler led the visitors, Du Lei and Wen Li, to the third floor of the villa.

The clock on the wall in the hallway pointed to four o'clock in the afternoon, which was still relatively early, but the sky was already dark.

Before long, led by the steward, Du Lei and his companion arrived at the study. After the steward went in to announce their arrival, they were allowed to enter shortly afterward.

Just as I stepped inside, a muffled clap of thunder sounded, and a terrifying flash of lightning appeared outside the window.

"In this kind of weather, how can a guest still come to visit this old man? I wonder what brings you here?" Under the menacing lightning, a tall old man appeared, nearly two meters tall and huge and bulky, like a small mountain.

“Mr. Dure, is this General Shanlong? He’s so different from what I imagined.” Wenli was startled by his fierce appearance. She grabbed Dure’s arm. The study was dimly lit, and the sudden flash of lightning had given her quite a fright.

"Oh, and there's a lovely young lady here. That's right, I am Shanlong. But I dare not accept the title of general; that was my former status. Now I am just a retired old man who paints. Please take a look, young lady, what do you think of my paintings?"

The old man's ears twitched slightly; even though Wenli had spoken very softly, he had still heard her.

"Oh? I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to offend you!" Winnie realized she had been quite rude and immediately apologized.

“It’s alright, Miss, you really have poise and manners. You’re clearly from a prominent family. Please take a look at my painting.” The old man smiled and handed over the painting he had just finished. Du Lei, who was next to Wen Li, gently took it.

"This is..." Du Lei initially thought that someone like Shan Long, who had been through many battles, would create a painting with a murderous aura.

But when he saw what the painting was about, he couldn't help but laugh, because it was clearly a picture of chicks pecking at rice.

Even a three-year-old could probably draw better than him.

"General Shanlong's paintings are truly...unique." Du Lei thought for a moment and gave this comment.

"Hahaha, since I retired, I've enjoyed painting in my spare time. I've improved a lot compared to before. By the way, guests don't need to call me by the title 'General,' I'm retired now. Just call me 'Shanlong.'" The old man laughed heartily, his beard was very long and almost reached the ground.

He strokes his beard when he talks, which looks very amusing.

"Although Mr. Shanlong has retired, his words still carry considerable weight in Rock City." At Shanlong's invitation, Du Lei and Wen Li sat opposite him, and soon a butler brought over black tea, which was bright in color and steaming hot.

"Hahaha, it's all just a trivial reputation I accumulated in my youth. So, could you tell me, sir, where did you get this badge from the 'Aoshan Clan'?" After laughing, Shanlong placed a badge in front of Durei.

The badge features a symbol of a majestic mountain. It was brought in by the deacon earlier, and it was because of this badge that he agreed to meet these two guests. Otherwise, not just anyone would be qualified to face him, the former Chief of Staff of the Army and now Minister of the Army.

“This badge comes from Speaker Varo’s younger brother, Lord Varan,” Dure replied softly, taking a sip of his red tea.

"Valan? But didn't Valan die two days ago? Sigh, I watched Valan grow up. He was a mischievous child when he was young. Although he was idle and didn't do anything productive, he wasn't a bad person at heart. He respected his brother and me. Who would have thought that something like this would happen? It's truly unpredictable." Shanlong sighed and shook his head.

"Such an incident did indeed occur in Rock City. It seems that even though you are in your villa, Mr. Shanlong, you are concerned about the safety of the entire Rock City, and even the Mountain Kingdom." Du Lei nodded slightly, not denying the incident that had caused such a stir in Rock City two days ago.

"The Land of Mountains is, after all, my home. Naturally, I must care about what happens here," Shanlong said solemnly.

"Mr. Nashanlong, are you aware of Speaker Varo's current situation?" Dure put down his teacup and asked softly.

"My dearest friend? I heard he's seriously ill, and I'm very worried about his safety. Unfortunately, I'm old and frail, and plagued by illness, so I can't visit him in person." Shanlong sighed, looking quite helpless.

"Is he seriously ill? But if Speaker Varo isn't ill, but rather under house arrest, would you, Mr. Shanlong, still be able to remain unmoved?" Dure observed Shanlong's expression and said, word by word.

"What did you say? Varo has been placed under house arrest? How is that possible? Who did it?" Shanlong was stunned for a moment, then suddenly stood up.

For a fleeting moment, the murderous aura was so intense that it made one feel as if they could see the fierce general who was famous for his killing prowess on the battlefield in his youth!

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609 Nowhere to Escape

The heavy rain outside the window continued to pour down without any sign of stopping. The booming thunder and lightning intertwined, but the roar that erupted from General Shanlong's throat was even more deafening than the thunder, even though he was over sixty years old.

Even though his beard was gray and hanging to the ground, his eyes were still sharp, like a rusty knife that only needed a light rub with a whetstone to reveal its dazzling edge. At the same time that Dure jumped up, he retreated.

He suddenly drew a short knife from his waist and slashed forward, a move that stunned Winry!

They came to Shanlong's villa as guests, to ask for his help, not to fight him. Moreover, Du Lei's moves were extremely fierce; he was clearly aiming to take Shanlong's life. Du Lei had not told her about this beforehand!

However, before Wenli could even cry out in surprise, she immediately understood why Dure had done that. At that moment, Shanlong, wielding a long sword, slashed fiercely at the short sword in Dure's hand. Sparks flew as the blades collided, revealing that Dure's arm strength was far inferior to Shanlong's.

He was forced to take a few steps back, and as he retreated, he grabbed Wenli and ran wildly out of the house, which left the latter bewildered.

"Mr. Dure, what's going on?" Wen Li was completely baffled. A perfectly good negotiation had turned into a fight!

"We'll discuss the details after we leave; we must get out of here!" Du Lei's expression was grim; he was well aware of the seriousness of the situation.

At this moment, a number of people rushed out of the corridor. These people were all wearing uniforms and holding sharp blades; they were all soldiers from the Mountain Country.

"You're quite the clever little brat, didn't you notice? But do you think you can leave here? Hehehehe, this old man hasn't been active in a long time, I don't mind playing with you for a bit." Shanlong walked out of the study, his body was so huge that he swayed as he walked.

He gripped a long sword in both hands. Seeing Du Lei and the other man rushing down the corridor, he chuckled. Lightning struck again, and his expression became especially ferocious and terrifying. Wen Li only saw Du Lei suddenly draw his sword, but she didn't know what would have happened if Du Lei had been even a fraction slower.

At this moment, the large sword in Shanlong's hand had probably already separated their heads from their bodies!

"Stop them! We can't let them leave! They're over there!" a man who looked like an officer commanded the pursuit.

They sealed off the villa inside and out, determined to capture the young couple.

“There are people on this side and people on that side, Mr. Dure, we have nowhere to retreat!” Wen Li looked at both sides of the corridor, where they were blocked in the middle.

Although she was confused about the situation and didn't know what was happening, she could still tell what her current predicament was like.

"Hold on tight!" Du Lei said, his face grim, looking out at the heavy rain outside the window, enunciating each word clearly.

"Kid, you're not thinking of jumping out the window, are you? Look outside carefully, it's full of our men. We've laid a trap for you, there's no way you can escape!" The officer was full of confidence; they had deployed eighty men for this purpose.

Moreover, they are all highly trained elites, and with the existing defenses in the villa, this kid wouldn't be able to escape even if he had wings.

“There are guards outside too, Mr. Dure, this…” Wenli looked out the window, and indeed it was as the officer said.

“I said, hold on tight to me!” Dure repeated, emphasizing his words and his gaze somewhat menacing.

"I understand!" Wenli knew that Dure had his reasons, and immediately hugged his waist tightly.