The most shameless alchemist in history

"Yes, war is about to break out again. I wonder when this protracted civil war in the Snow Kingdom will finally end. And judging from the current situation across the continent, it's not just the Snow Kingdom that's engulfed in war; conflicts have broken out between many countries. Since the fall of the Azure Thunder Empire, the continent had finally enjoyed twenty years of peace, but unexpectedly, it has now fallen into a state of full-scale conflict again. It's truly lamentable," Dr. Sarah sighed.

"The Azure Thunder Empire? I remember the Azure Thunder Empire was a powerful nation that nearly achieved continental domination. It had a long history, existing on the continent for hundreds of years. However, more than twenty years ago, at the height of its power, the Azure Thunder Empire suddenly declined. Various countries on the continent formed a coalition and invaded the capital of the Azure Thunder Empire, marking the demise of this once-powerful nation. But the academic community still has no definitive conclusion on the reasons for the Azure Thunder Empire's demise," Du Lei said after thinking for a moment.

When he was at Maple Leaf Academy, he frequented the library most often. Among the many books he read were history books, so he was quite familiar with the history of the mainland.

“Yes, Brother Du Lei, you’re right. The Azure Thunder Empire was an incredibly powerful nation, possessing highly advanced technology and unparalleled magical power. It could be said that the Azure Thunder Empire perfectly blended science and magic. Yet, this very nation suddenly vanished from the continent at its peak. This is indeed one of history’s greatest mysteries.” Dr. Sarah nodded, having majored in history in university and possessing profound knowledge in the field.

“Normally, a country only falls when it is in decline, but the Azure Thunder Empire collapsed at its peak, and even when it had an overwhelming military advantage. This is indeed puzzling.” Du Lei was also puzzled by this. He had read many books about the Azure Thunder Empire, which discussed various reasons for the empire’s demise, and various conspiracy theories were rampant.

"No matter how powerful it once was, it has turned into dust of history. In terms of the future development trend of the continent, traditional hegemonic empires will eventually be eliminated by the times." Rhodes put forward his opinion. In his view, the demise of the Azure Thunder Empire was just a choice of the times.

"What are you all talking about? I'm so hungry! When will we get to Winter Town? I can't wait to eat something delicious!" Tanya's stomach rumbled, and she said with a hint of grievance.

"Don't worry, Tanya, we'll be in Winterhold soon. Just bear with it a little longer," Rhodes comforted Tanya with a smile. If it were before, he would have teased Tanya relentlessly, saying how could she be so greedy, almost like some kind of animal?

However, after Tanya went through a life-or-death ordeal in the Abyss of Winter, Rhode stopped arguing with her. He would give in to her whenever possible, because only when he was on the verge of losing her did he realize how important she was to him. Seeing her healthy and lively, what did it matter if he gave in to her?

The four of them walked through the vast snowfield, and soon they left four lines of footprints of varying depths on the snow. The Abyss of Winter was left far behind them. For Durei, what he was leaving behind was also eight years of lost time. No matter how unwilling or reluctant he was, since it had already happened, he could not change it. The only thing he could do was to accept it.

“Winter Town? If that incident hadn’t happened eight years ago, I would have passed through this town by train too. Eight years have passed, how is everyone doing?” Du Lei looked at the sky behind him, where the clouds were constantly changing.

This is a sign that a blizzard is coming!

()

706 Identity Verification

When Dr. Sarah and her group arrived in Winterhold, they were also stopped for questioning. Because they had come on foot, the sentries had been instructed that members of the Southern Front might have infiltrated Winterhold to cause sabotage, and they had to carefully check everyone they passed.

Anyone acting suspiciously was arrested, including anyone who couldn't provide identification documents. Adhering to the principle of "better to arrest the wrong person than let one go," they were determined to ensure the safety of Yandong Town.

"Who are you? Where are you from? Where are your identification documents?" The sentry carefully questioned the group of four. He would never allow any suspicious people to enter Winter Town; otherwise, he couldn't bear the responsibility. There had been sentries who had been arrested and tried by military court for mistakenly letting unidentified people into their hands.

"Um, wait a minute, Tanya, where's the identification document I gave you earlier? I told you to keep it safe. Where did you put it?" Dr. Sarah smiled and gestured for the sentry to wait. He turned to Tanya and asked, since she was the one who was responsible for keeping the identification document.

"Ugh, my identification documents... I remember putting them in my pocket, how could they be gone? That's strange." Tanya rummaged through her pockets, but after searching for a while, she still couldn't find her identification documents.

"You...don't you have any identification documents? Come here, come here quickly, there's a group of suspicious people over here, arrest them all!" The sentry looked at Dr. Sarah and her group suspiciously, and he quickly shouted to a group of guards patrolling nearby. The guards quickly came over.

They all raised their dark gun barrels and aimed at the four men. Clearly, without producing any identification documents, the sentries considered them suspicious individuals and intended to arrest them.

"Please wait a moment, this is a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding! We are not suspicious people. We went to the Abyss of Winter to conduct scientific research. Moreover, my student is seriously ill and needs to go to town to find a doctor!" Dr. Sarah hurriedly stepped forward to try to explain. Although Tanya's condition had stabilized a lot after taking the All-Encompassing Revival Elixir made by Dure, she was still in a very weak state and needed to rest. If they were arrested, Tanya would definitely not be able to withstand the ordeal.

"Misunderstanding? As long as you don't have identification documents, I don't care what you do, arrest them all and interrogate them!" The sentry didn't believe Dr. Sarah's words. He waved for the guards who rushed over to arrest people, which made Rhodes tense up. He tried to say something.

He couldn't just stand by and watch Tanya be locked up; she couldn't withstand that kind of torment. But Dure, who was behind him, grabbed him and signaled him not to make a sound.

“If you need identification documents…” Dure stepped forward to negotiate with the sentry. Although it was his first time in Winter Town, he had previously escorted Winry to the Mountain Kingdom as a member of the envoy's guard. When they parted, Kotetsu had told them that if they ever encountered trouble, they should just give his name. Generally speaking, it would work within the Snow Kingdom.

"What's going on here?" Just as Dure was about to negotiate with the sentry, someone walked over from not far away. This was a young officer who looked to be about twenty-three or twenty-four years old. Judging from his rank, he was a captain. According to the military system of the Snow Country, being able to serve as a captain at this age is already considered outstanding.

"Sir, we have apprehended several suspicious individuals. We suspect they are members of the Southern Front and are attempting to infiltrate Winter Town." The sentry immediately saluted the officer and reported the situation.

“I’ve already said we’re not from the Southern Front. We’re scientists who came to the Abyss of Winter to conduct scientific research. Do you understand?” Rhodes emphasized this point repeatedly. He didn’t want to be labeled with something for no reason.

"The Southern Front? But... isn't this Dr. Sarah from the University of Seine? When did someone as prestigious as the doctor become a member of the Southern Front?" The young officer adjusted his hat brim and asked with a frown.

"What? A PhD from Seine University?" The sentry was stunned. He had heard of Seine University; it was very famous throughout the continent. A PhD from Seine University was a highly sought-after guest in any country, someone that even royal families of most countries wouldn't dare to neglect. Yet now, a PhD from Seine University was right in front of him.

"Who are you? How do you know me?" Dr. Sarah had thought she was in trouble and was worried about how to resolve it, but the officer who suddenly appeared said his name, which surprised Dr. Sarah. She looked at the officer suspiciously, wondering if she had seen this young man somewhere before.

"Dr. Sarah, my name is Sabo. I used to be a student at Seine University and attended your lectures." The young captain introduced himself, stating his background and the university he had graduated from. He spoke with great pride when mentioning "Seine University."

"Sabo? Did you graduate from Sena University? But how could a student from Sena University become an officer in the Snow Kingdom?" Dr. Sara was very puzzled, because Sena University is a comprehensive university that has provided many outstanding talents for all walks of life. Many of Sena University graduates go into politics, but not many join the military. In fact, Dr. Sara had heard of very few.

“I joined the army largely because of my family. By the way, I am Captain Sabo from the General Staff Headquarters. This is my identification. I can verify that this is Dr. Sara. As for these three, they are…” The young officer named Sabo handed his identification to the sentry and identified himself.

“These two are my students. She is Tanya and he is Rhodes. They are both graduating students from Sena University. In a way, they are your alumni, Sabo. As for him…” Dr. Sara introduced Tanya and Rhodes to Sabo, but when he was about to introduce Dure, he suddenly hesitated because Dure was not a student of Sena University, and in fact, he didn’t know much about Dure’s background.

"I am Dr. Sarah's guide, leading them to the Abyss of Winter for an expedition." Just as Dr. Sarah was hesitating about how to introduce Dure, he took the initiative to speak. Originally, Dure wanted to mention Kotetsu's name, but now it seemed unnecessary.

()

707 Welcome to visit

“I see. Then let them into Winter Town. I’ll take responsibility for any consequences.” Sabo nodded. As a graduate of Seine University, he trusted and respected Dr. Sara very much, and he was willing to vouch for Dr. Sara and her group.

"Understood. I'm very sorry, Dr. Sarah. Welcome to Wintertown!" The sentry nodded, and the patrolling guards around him dispersed to make way. He saluted Dr. Sarah again. Although he was not a graduate of the University of Seine, he still had great respect for this professor from a prestigious university.

"It's alright, it's just your duty, and besides, we're the ones who lost our identification documents." Dr. Sarah waved her hand. She was a reasonable person. If they hadn't lost their identification documents, none of this would have happened. Of course, Tanya couldn't be blamed for this either; she was still very weak and needed rest.

“Then Dr. Sarah, please follow me. I’ll take you to town to rest.” Sabo pointed to the road ahead. He was happy to be Dr. Sarah’s guide. She nodded, and soon they slowly entered Winter Town under Sabo’s lead.

The snow fell silently, and the snow piled up on the ground had not yet melted. Footprints were left on the road, one deep and one shallow. Patrol guards could be seen everywhere, their hats also covered with snow. It was a world covered in silver.

Sabo led Dr. Sara and her group to the inn in Wintertown and arranged for them to stay. He originally wanted to stay and ask Dr. Sara some questions, but a guard found him and asked him to attend a meeting, so he had to leave in a hurry.

However, before leaving, Sabo arranged for a doctor to come to the inn to treat Tanya, which finally relieved Dr. Sara and Rhodes. They were able to settle down in Wintertown and only needed to rest for a few days until Tanya recovered so they could take the train to leave Wintertown and head to Winter City.

"Thanks to Sabo, otherwise we might have been arrested as suspicious individuals." After settling Tanya in, Dr. Sara, Rhodes, and Dure went out for a meal. This was the first time in a long time that they had a proper meal, and Sabo had specially arranged for a very sumptuous meal.

“But when we came to Winter Town before, the security here wasn’t this tight. It hasn’t been long, but the level of security seems to have increased significantly. What’s going on?” Rhodes looked worriedly at the snow falling outside the window, which made him feel uneasy.

"I'm not too sure about that. Maybe... some important person has arrived in Winter Town?" Dr. Sara said uncertainly. After all, she wasn't a soldier and didn't know the secrets of the higher-ups. However, Sabo might know. Before leaving, he told Dr. Sara and her group to try not to wander around. Of course, Dr. Sara and her group wouldn't ask Sabo about the secrets.

"It's alright, as long as we don't cause any trouble and just get through these few days peacefully." Du Lei looked out the window. Since entering Winter Town, he had noticed that this small town, with only a few hundred local residents, had no fewer than five hundred guards. What concerned him most was that there were quite a few magic users among them, and these magic users were all at a fairly high level.

He had a vague feeling that something was going to happen in Winterhold, but he didn't tell Dr. Sarah and her group, because they were just passing through and wouldn't stay in Winterhold for long before leaving.

“Brother Dure is right. We should just stay at the hotel. Okay, let’s go back and get a good night’s sleep after we finish eating. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a good night’s sleep in a warm bed.” Dr. Sarah agreed with Dure’s words. By this time, they had finished their meal. Rhodes nodded and they went back to their room to rest.

“Winter Town…should we go back to Hot Spring Village to see everyone?” Du Lei suddenly stopped on the stairs and looked out at the snow. He remembered when he was still in Hot Spring Village, didn’t he often run around the mountains and fields in such snowy weather? At that time, there was not only him, but also Black Wind and Copper Mountain. The childhood they spent together seemed like yesterday.

"Forget it, I look... a bit unfamiliar." Du Lei chuckled self-deprecatingly as he looked at his reflection in the mirror. In his memory, he was a quiet and reserved boy, and while he was still quiet and reserved, his face was no longer childlike; it was the face of a young man. The sudden transformation from a boy to a young man was a contrast that was hard for him to accept.

Dure shook his head slightly, but soon he went up the stairs and back to his room.

At the same time, on the other side of Winter Town, the Northern Army's garrison welcomed an important figure. This was evident from the elaborate preparations made; all the officers waited respectfully at the gate, even though it was snowing. They had no choice but to come out of their warm offices because the guest who was about to visit was of great importance.

"Welcome, Your Highness Wenli!" As a carriage slowly drove up and stopped, the leading officer gave a respectful salute. He looked to be around forty years old and was rather overweight. Judging from his rank, he was a colonel, which was the highest rank in the Northern Army in Winter Town. He was also the person in charge here, Colonel Boca.

"Princess Winry?" After waiting for several minutes, Colonel Boca felt uneasy seeing that the carriage hadn't responded. He wondered if he had made a mistake and displeased the future heir to the throne. He called out tremblingly, his forehead covered in cold sweat despite the snow falling. He was terrified that he might anger Princess Winry with a momentary lapse, which would ruin his career.

“Um… Your Highness Winry, I have prepared a residence for you to rest in. It’s cold outside, so please move to the residence to rest.” Colonel Boca took out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his forehead. He had been standing for more than ten minutes, but there was still no movement from inside the carriage, which made him increasingly frightened and deeply uneasy.

"Meow!" Just then, a black cat suddenly darted out of the carriage and pounced on Colonel Boca.

This startled the colonel.

()

708 Chic Hotel

Colonel Boca assumed that Princess Winry was angry, because he had long heard rumors that Princess Winry had inherited her mother's strong personality and was a very opinionated and decisive person.

"Huh? Princess Winry...? What's going on? Where is Princess Winry?" After a brief moment of trepidation, Colonel Boca suddenly noticed something: when the black cat ran out, the carriage door was empty. Princess Winry, who was supposed to be there, was nowhere to be seen. This shocked him greatly. Could something have happened to Princess Winry?

While Colonel Boca was going mad over the absence of Princess Winry, whom he was supposed to greet, Winry herself was already patrolling Winterfell. She was dressed in a sky-blue outfit, wearing a hat, with her hair falling down to her waist. Beside her, her bodyguard, Bee Sting, dressed in a black bodysuit, followed closely.

“Your Highness Winry, is this really alright? Colonel Boca of Winterhold will be very worried if he finds out you’re not in the carriage.” Bee Sting hesitated for a moment, then asked Winry in a low voice. Ever since they returned from Rock City eight years ago, she had been Winry’s chief bodyguard and knew Winry very well.

"Let him be anxious if he wants. Only those idiots who want to put on a show would hold a grand welcoming ceremony, wanting everyone to know that I have come to Winter Town. How can we do anything or investigate if we do that? We can easily investigate like this and find out if there are any flaws in the defense of Winter Town."

Wenli spoke calmly. She wasn't the kind of person who was bound by formalities. What she cared about was the safety of the entire Winter Town. After all, her purpose in coming here was to ensure that Winter Town, an important supply base in the North, could operate smoothly and would not be captured by the resistance forces of the Southern Front.

"Understood. So, Your Highness Winry, where are we going next?" Bee Sting asked Winry where she was headed, since she was only responsible for protecting Winry's safety, and the decision-making power was naturally in Winry's hands.

"What's that place over there?" Wenli suddenly pointed to a four-story building not far to the right and asked. Adorned with the constantly falling snow, the building looked like a castle standing in the snow, and it looked very ingenious.

“Over there? That should be the inn in Winterhold, a place where travelers or merchants passing through Winterhold stay. Of course, these are extraordinary times, and all guests staying at the inn have identification documents,” Bee Sting said after thinking for a moment. She was more concerned about Winry’s safety. No matter what happened, even if Winterhold was attacked, Winry’s safety would be the top priority.

"An inn? It looks quite unique. Let's go patrol the warehouse first." Wen Li glanced at the inn a few more times. She didn't know why she was so interested in this inn. After a while, she slowly looked away. After all, she came to Winter Town on business, not for sightseeing.

Bee Sting nodded, and soon she and Wenli left the vicinity of the inn and headed towards the warehouse. As they turned to leave, someone happened to look over from the window on the fourth floor of the inn. Although his eyesight was always very good, he couldn't see very clearly through the vast snow.

"Am I seeing things? I have a feeling that I've seen those two people over there somewhere before." The young man by the window frowned. He racked his brains, trying to find a corresponding clue in his memory, but after thinking for a long time, he still couldn't come up with a result.

"I must have seen wrong. Eight years have passed. How old was I eight years ago? How old were the people I met? But I always feel like there's a small piece missing from my memory. I've never felt this way before. This is really strange."

Dure was deeply worried. He had been asleep in the Abyss of Winter for eight years, which had disrupted many of his plans. He didn't have a new plan yet and could only take things one step at a time.

"Brother Dure, are you there?" At this moment, a knock came from outside the door, along with Dr. Sarah's voice. Dure immediately looked away and went to open the door.

“Yes, Dr. Sarah, what can I do for you?” Dure asked curiously as Dr. Sarah entered the room.

"Well, Dure, it's like this. You're an alchemist, right? I'd like to learn about alchemy. Maybe I can find some inspiration to provide better topics for Tanya and Rhodes' graduation theses."

Dr. Sarah explained her purpose: she was still concerned about the graduation projects of her two star students. Originally, she had prepared a project for them called "Research on Ice Dragons," but they had come up empty-handed in the Abyss of Winter and she had to find a new project.

“I see. Please come in, Dr. Sarah. I will do my best to help you with anything I can. However, I also have some questions I would like to ask you, Dr. Sarah.” Dure welcomed Dr. Sarah into the room.

When they were still in the Abyss of Winter, they were rushing along and he didn't have a chance to ask for advice. Now that things have finally calmed down, he naturally won't miss this opportunity to ask the famous doctor for advice.

“Young man Du Lei, you’re too kind. There’s no need for me to ask you anything. We’re just having an academic exchange, hehehe.” Dr. Sarah’s goodwill towards the young man in front of her grew even stronger. The snow was still falling outside the window, while the young man and the old man inside were discussing academic issues in a low voice. Time passed quietly, and everything was beautiful.

Wintertown was once again covered in a layer of snow, and the earth was dressed in a silver coat. All of this was originally peaceful and beautiful. If she had a choice, Liata would also like Wintertown to continue to be so peaceful, but she knew that this was just wishful thinking.

Because if things remain calm and there is no change, what is being protected is only the interests of the northern nobility. For the people of the south, they need to go through a blizzard to fight for their rightful rights. Silence can easily lead people astray in their comfortable lives, and Liata is one of those who are unwilling to remain silent.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have applied to join the Southern Front eight years ago, and wouldn't have remained active on the front lines for so long, completing numerous tasks with outstanding performance.

709 Mechanical Technician

Liata didn't come to Wintertown for sightseeing; he had a mission. According to Grant, the leader of the Southern Front, he needed to infiltrate Wintertown, find out the troop deployment and the location of the various warehouses, and then send this intelligence out.

In coordination with the Southern Front's assault guards, they captured Winter Town and took it over. Their ultimate goal was to burn the Northern Army's military supplies stored in Winter Town, thus ensuring that the Southern and Northern armies would be in a superior position for the upcoming decisive battle.

Because the Southern Kingdom holds a financial advantage, and its railway network is much denser than that of the Northern Kingdom, coupled with the arrival of winter, the Southern Kingdom deliberately concentrated its battle lines around the Winter City, making the Northern Kingdom's army's supplies particularly tight.

Losing the logistical supply base of Winter Town would be a fatal blow to the Northern Army. It is no exaggeration to say that Winter Town is the lifeline of the Northern Army; otherwise, the Northern Army would not have stationed a large number of troops there for strict protection.

"So, what Mr. Grant said earlier, about finding a man named Thompson at Warehouse Six after arriving in Winterhold, that he would help me—Warehouse Six should be nearby, right? But where exactly is Mr. Thompson…?"

After infiltrating Warehouse No. 6, Liata looked around, searching for Thompson's whereabouts. She didn't know what Thompson looked like. She moved cautiously, trying to avoid being discovered by the soldiers of the North, because being discovered would bring unnecessary trouble.

"Who are you? What are you doing sneaking around here?" Just as Liata was searching carefully, a shout suddenly came from behind him. It was a deep male voice, which startled Liata.

He immediately broke out in a sweat and turned around nervously. At the same time, he touched the pistol at his waist. Although he was not a combatant, he still had to fight to protect himself when necessary.

"Oh dear, don't be nervous, brother. I'm a new mechanic here, checking if the equipment is working properly." Although Liata was startled, he had completed missions alone long ago and had a strong ability to adapt. He calmed down immediately, released his hand from the pistol at his waist, and spoke casually.