The most shameless alchemist in history

()

729 Tipping and Information

"Dure, are you... gone?" Liana looked at Dure's departing figure with a sense of loss. Compared to the first time they met eight years ago, this time his departure was much more hasty. She still remembered that time on the train when she and Dure went their separate ways. Dure had told her that they would meet again soon, but his "soon" turned into eight years. She was really not sure if she would ever see him again.

"Miss Liana, are you alright?" Thompson asked with concern when he saw her like this. He had never known Dure's true identity, but he hadn't asked any unnecessary questions because he trusted Liana.

“It’s alright, Mr. Thompson. Are you sure it’s safe enough here and the Northern Army won’t find us?” Liana shook her head, suppressing her disappointment, and asked seriously. She hadn’t forgotten her mission and the situation she was in.

"Don't worry, Miss Liana, I've been operating here for a long time. This place is very safe, and the Northern forces will definitely not be able to find it in a short time. There is plenty of food and water here, so we can hide here for the time being and launch a new attack when they are relaxed." Thompson was very confident in the stronghold he had built himself.

“A new wave of attacks… Mr. Thompson, may I ask you a question?” Liana pondered the words he had just used, then asked after a moment’s thought.

"What's the problem? Miss Liana, please feel free to ask." Thompson asked immediately. He would tell Liana everything he knew without holding anything back.

"Mr. Thompson, do you really think that peace can be achieved through war?" Liana asked earnestly. At first, she had a very clear answer in her mind, but gradually she became somewhat confused and couldn't figure out where the answer lay.

"This..." Thompson wanted to give a positive answer, but the words were already on the tip of his tongue when he swallowed them back. He suddenly realized that he hadn't even thought about this question. If things continued like this, would they really get the result they initially wanted? Or had they unknowingly strayed from their original intentions and gone further and further down the wrong path?

Liana didn't know the answer, Thompson didn't know the answer, and neither did Dure. He remembered the way he came, so he was able to return to the ground by following the same path. However, when he reached a point not far from the exit, someone blocked his way, and stopped him by raising a dark gun barrel and aiming it at him.

"Your name is... Doma, right? What do you want with me?" Dure remembered the boy's name, and he also remembered that the boy's eyes had never been friendly to him, even though he didn't know what he had done to offend him.

Normally, Dure could easily deal with this guy who was blocking his way, but considering that he was on Liana's side, he exercised some restraint and tried to speak to him as calmly as possible.

"Where are you going, you bastard?" Doma seemed agitated. He shouted at the man in front of him. In his opinion, this guy was not a distinguished guest at all, but a suspicious person who was sneaking around. His sudden appearance next to Miss Liana must have some ulterior motive!

"As you can see, I plan to leave here and return to the inn in Wintertown. Is there a problem?" Dure asked calmly. In the entire Wintertown, there was only one person who could pose a threat to him, but unfortunately, that person's name was not Doma, but Restia.

“Return to Winterhold? You’re trying to tip off that guy Boca, aren’t you? You Northern lackey, I’ve finally found out!” Doma didn’t believe Dure’s nonsense. In his eyes, a liar was not worth trusting, and everything he said was a lie!

"Tip me off? I have no need to do that. If I were really your enemy, do you think it would be a difficult task for me to wipe out this small stronghold?" Dure chuckled at Doma's questioning. It would be one thing to accuse him of other crimes, but to accuse him of tipping off others was to seriously underestimate him.

"Stop talking big. You must have used some despicable means to deceive Miss Liana. I can't just stand by and watch her fall for your trick. I'm going to take care of you right here..." Doma's chest heaved violently. This was a decision he had thought about for a long time. In his opinion, as long as he dealt with the guy in front of him, all the problems that had been bothering him would be solved.

"What, weren't you going to get rid of me? Then shoot! Just shoot, bang, and the problem will be solved." Dure faced Doma's gun without flinching or dodging, and asked coldly.

"What's going on? Why...why..." After making a huge decision, Doma finally decided to kill the guy in front of him, but at that moment he suddenly found that the modified gunpowder gun in his hand had suddenly frozen into a block of ice, with ice spreading continuously on the surface, all the way to his fingers.

The bone-chilling cold startled him so much that he quickly let go to stop the spread of the icy air. He had every reason to believe that if he hadn't let go, the spreading icy air would have been enough to freeze him into an ice sculpture.

"The world is vast, but your vision is narrow. Seventeen or eighteen, able to squander your youth so recklessly… I truly envy you." Dure glanced at Doma with pity, then ignored her and slowly left, leaving Doma staring at him with a mixture of surprise and resentment…

Dure has been gone for some time now, and Colonel Boca received an order that greatly excited him. That annoying woman had relayed Princess Winry's order that he must find the man named Dure.

This revitalized Colonel Boca, who had been dejected, because according to reliable intelligence, the kid had left with the rebels from the Southern Front. This confirmed the kid's guilt; he was clearly a member of the Southern Front!

According to the Frost Queen's personal order regarding the treatment of the rebels on the Southern Front, anyone caught would be executed. Originally, Boka had no chance of defeating that kid.

However, with General Restia in charge of Winter Town now, all he needs to do is find out the kid's location and report it to General Restia. Then he can find a place to watch the show and see how General Restia crushes the kid. Just thinking about the kid being beaten to the ground makes Colonel Boca feel a sense of relief!

730 Cessation of the manhunt

"Report! Sir, we've found the kid!" Just as Colonel Boca was personally leading a thorough search, his subordinate came forward to report, which made Colonel Boca overjoyed.

"Have you found him? Where is he? Have you notified General Restia? We'll just wait for General Restia to appear, then we'll rush in together and capture him. Taking down an important member of the rebel organization would be a huge achievement, and who knows, maybe that kid is the second member of the Southern Front named Liana!" Colonel Boca rubbed his hands together, as if he could already see the path to promotion and wealth beckoning to him!

"Sir, that kid is not far ahead. He came to us on his own. Um... sir, Liana sounds like a woman's name, doesn't it? It doesn't quite fit him. I remember hearing someone say his name was Dure or something." The adjutant pointed to a figure walking towards them and explained earnestly.

"You don't understand, do you? Liana is just a code name, and who knows if that kid has some kind of weird fetish? What if he disguises himself as a woman during a mission? Hey... over there... you guys hurry up and stop him, whatever you do, don't let him get any closer!"

Colonel Boca was explaining when he suddenly saw Dure approaching from the front, which startled him. He quickly dragged the guards next to him over and tried to get them to hold off the uninvited guest.

If it were anyone else who offended Colonel Boca, the consequences of his anger would be severe. But the one who angered him was a tough nut to crack, and now he had come to Boca's doorstep. This caught Boca off guard, and his first instinct was to turn and run away, because he knew very well that his men alone were no match for him.

However, when the guards saw the young man approaching, they looked at each other and made way for him. They had already witnessed the young man's battle with General Restia and knew how formidable he was. Their retreat left Colonel Boca completely exposed to the young man.

"Boy, what do you want to do? I'm warning you, I'm a high-ranking officer in the Snow Kingdom, and a confidant of General Restia. If you dare to do anything to me, General Restia will definitely not let you off!" Colonel Boca invoked General Restia's name, hoping to intimidate Dure.

"You must immediately cease the search and arrest operation against the Southern Front." Dure originally intended to go directly to see Wenli, but as he passed by, he saw the Northern Guards conducting a large-scale search. He thought for a moment and decided to come over and remind the guards. However, he did not expect that this search and arrest operation was personally led by Boca.

"Stop immediately? Kid, who do you think you are? What gives you the right to order us around like this? And let me tell you, you're suspected of being a member of a rebel organization. I'm already being lenient by not arresting you, and you're still giving orders?" Colonel Boca said righteously from behind his adjutant.

"I'll go see Winnie now. The order will be delivered soon. Just stand by until you receive it." Dure knew that as a soldier, Colonel Boca only obeyed the orders of his superiors, and his suggestion would probably have little effect. Although he could threaten Colonel Boca, it was not appropriate, so he gave up the idea and headed towards the villa.

"Stand by? You think you can just stand by like that? Do you believe I'll arrest you?" Colonel Boca watched the young man's departing figure and began to shout loudly, gradually managing to put on his own airs. Before long, Dure's figure gradually disappeared into the distance, giving Colonel Boca a sense of victory.

Colonel Boca was seething with hatred for that young man who had appeared out of nowhere. Not for any other reason than that this kid had made him lose face in front of everyone. Who was he? He was the commander in charge of logistics and supplies for the Winter Town region.

This was not only a lucrative position, but also a promising one. He had every reason to believe that he could be promoted to general in a few years, and if given another ten years, he might even become the chief of the general staff. This was the perfect time for him to establish his authority. But who would have thought that the kid he met in Yandong Town would not give him the respect he deserved? So if he wasn't angry, who would be?

"Um... sir, what should we do now? Should we go after him?" the adjutant asked cautiously. Not only him, but even the guards were at a loss for what to do. They all looked at Colonel Boca in confusion, waiting for the latter to give the order.

"What do you mean, 'what do you mean, 'what do you mean, 'ask me'? Didn't you hear me? Didn't I tell you to stay put, you idiots?'" Colonel Boca was furious, and could only vent his anger on his subordinates. He noticed that the kid was indeed heading towards Princess Wenli's villa. Was he walking into a trap? But it didn't seem like it. What exactly was his relationship with Princess Wenli? Colonel Boca was completely confused.

Colonel Boca was confused, and General Restia was also confused. However, compared to Colonel Boca, she at least knew some inside information, such as Winry's mission to the Mountain Kingdom eight years ago. However, she really couldn't understand what kind of stance that guy had, because he actually proposed peace talks. It was simply absurd!

“This…” Bee Sting was silenced by Du Lei’s question. Du Lei was clearly right; her claim of having the upper hand was nothing but wishful thinking.

"Peace talks? Du Lei, what exactly are you planning? Our Northern army currently holds a firm military advantage, and we are fully confident that we can completely crush their Southern front. Under such circumstances, you actually want us to negotiate with them? What are your intentions? Are you acting as their lobbyist?" Bee Sting frowned, and she was the first to stand up and refute Du Lei's proposal.

This wasn't due to personal grudges, but purely for official business. In fact, eight years ago, on their way to the Land of Mountains, Dure provided them with a lot of help, and personally, she admired and liked Dure very much.

“Are you saying that the Northern army has a military advantage? But the information I’ve received doesn’t seem to suggest that. The battle line has now been pushed to the vicinity of Winter City, which is the last barrier for Frost City, the capital of the Snow Kingdom. Once Winter City falls, Frost City will be the first to be hit and face the predicament of being surrounded. How can you say that they have an advantage in this situation?” Du Lei shook his head slightly.

Although he was frozen in the Abyss of Winter for eight years, he met Dr. Sara and her group after he awoke. Dr. Sara was very knowledgeable, and he learned a lot from her, gaining a clear understanding of the current situation.

731 Despite the opening

“Mr. Dure is right. Currently, our Northern army and the Southern front are evenly matched. In terms of the situation, we are even at a disadvantage. But this is all based on the premise that the Southern front has the support of three countries, including the Mountain Country, the Rain Country, and the Swamp Country…” Wenli agreed with Dure’s point of view and readily acknowledged the current situation.

“Princess Winry.” When Winry mentioned the three countries, Restia, who was standing next to her, reminded her, interrupting her. Clearly, this involved confidential information, and with Dure present, it was necessary to be careful what one said.

“It’s alright, Mr. Dure. He’s not an outsider. It’s fine to say it. As long as the alliance of the Southern Front collapses, they will be no match for our Northern Army.” Wenli waved her hand and spoke calmly. After all, the mission Dure participated in to the Mountain Kingdom eight years ago was a highly classified mission. If it weren’t for his efforts, we would not know what the situation would be like in the Snow Kingdom now.

"The alliance has collapsed... I see. But what happens after it collapses? Not only will we have to pay a heavy price after the war, but both the Southern and Northern Kingdoms will suffer heavy losses. The Snow Kingdom's national strength will also be greatly weakened, and it will no longer be a first-class country in the Northern Continent."

When Dure mentioned the "continent," he deliberately added the prefix "northern" because, in terms of the Snow Country's national strength, it was only second-rate compared to the rest of the continent. Of course, when facing Winry and Restia, Dure couldn't say it was second-rate, so he had to add the prefix to narrow down the scope.

“Well… the conflict between the South and the North has a long history. Only through a top-down, all-encompassing war can the conflict be resolved and the country restored to peace. War is something no one wants to see; it brings sorrow. But only by resolving the conflict can the country become strong again,” Wenli said after thinking for a moment.

She received an elite education from a young age. After returning from the Mountain Kingdom eight years ago, she began to attend military and political meetings. Eight years of exposure to this environment had made her familiar with various diplomatic tactics.

“Winley, can war really resolve conflicts? Or is suppressing them by force just like putting out a fire, only extinguishing the surface flames but not the embers buried beneath the firewood?” Dure did not agree with Winley’s view. He and Dr. Sarah had discussed this issue repeatedly.

"Well... we'll only know after we try it." Winry was stumped by Dure's question. After all, there weren't many people in the Snow Kingdom who dared to oppose her to her face. In fact, she and her mother shared the same views. In recent years, the Frost Queen's methods had become increasingly ruthless, to the point that no one dared to object to her.

"After trying? Wenli, history is a mirror, with countless historical events that can serve as a reference. I think you are very clear about the outcomes of those historical events. The fundamental difference between your Northern Kingdom and the Southern Kingdom lies in the fact that the times are at a crossroads of change. Going left will lead to an abyss of no return. The Snow Kingdom will be extremely weak after the civil war and will be devoured by the surrounding countries. Going right will lead to a completely new path in accordance with the times," Du Lei said solemnly.

Although he had no sense of belonging to the Land of Snow, he grew up in Hot Spring Village, a small village within the Land of Snow. His activities were mainly within the Land of Snow, and he couldn't bear to see the country, which he thought was perfectly fine, now in ruins.

“A change of era? But Dure, I can’t make that decision. No one can change Mother’s mind. She’s determined to solve problems with force, and no one can persuade her, not even me.” Winry thought carefully about Dure’s words.

In truth, she was well aware of the changes of the times. Over the past eight years, she had truly felt the changes. If she had the choice, she would not have chosen the path of war. But the key issue was that she could not make a decision. The person who made the decision was a cold person, as indifferent as the hardest ice in winter, a woman known as the Frost Queen.

“Her Majesty the Frost Queen, it seems that this is the crux of the problem.” Dure nodded slightly. Eight years ago, when he first set off from Maple City, he was not quite sure what Winry’s identity was, but after a journey, he had a pretty good idea of ​​it.

“By the way, Winnie, may I make a request?” Dure asked after thinking for a moment.

“What is your request? Mr. Dure, please feel free to speak.” Wen Li waved her hand gently, indicating that Dure should speak freely. If it were someone else making the request, she would probably refuse decisively, but if it was this man’s request, she thought she would try her best to fulfill it, no matter what it was.

"I hope you will suspend the arrests of the Southern Front members," Dure said, making his request. After all, when he left the Southern Front's stronghold under the bridge, he had promised Liana that he would properly resolve this issue. Although he could have stayed out of it and done nothing, seeing Liana and Winry standing on opposite sides and clashing still made him somewhat worried.

"What? Suspend the arrests? Du Lei, do you know what we are doing..." Bee Sting was stunned when she heard Du Lei's request. Right now, their top priority was to bring the people from the Southern Front to justice, but Du Lei wanted them to stop the arrests. This made her wonder which side this kid was on.

“I know you came to Winter Town to ensure the safety of the military supplies here. I can guarantee that the Southern Front will not attack the warehouse again, so let’s have a temporary ceasefire, okay?” Dure interrupted Bee Sting and said again. He was never the kind of person to ask others for favors easily, and this was the first time he had made a request to Wen Li.

"What makes you so sure the Southern Front won't continue sabotaging the warehouse? Or are you one of them?" Bee Sting frowned. Although she was reluctant to doubt this person with whom she had once shared a difficult journey, she knew her current responsibilities and position. She had to ensure that the interests of the Northern Kingdom were not harmed.

“I am not a member of the Southern Front, but I do not deny that I have connections with them. I am merely making a request from a neutral standpoint, Winry, is that alright?” Dure calmly looked at Winry in front of him, waiting for her response. He knew that no matter how much Bee Sting objected, it would be useless, because Winry was the one who gave orders and made decisions. So, as long as Winry nodded, the problem would be solved.

()

732 is too lenient.

"Even if you say that, I still find it hard to believe..." Bee Sting wanted to say something more. She always felt that this guy in front of her was so unpredictable. He was like that eight years ago, and he is still like that today. This made her very uncomfortable.

“No problem.” Just as Bee Sting raised his objection, Wenli, who was able to make the decision, nodded slightly and said. Her answer surprised Bee Sting. The latter stared at her blankly and immediately wanted to say something, but Wenli waved her hand to indicate that she didn’t need to make a fuss.

“In that case, I’ll head back to the inn. Winry, I hope you’ll think carefully about what I said today, and that you’ll consider the future of the Snow Kingdom.” Dure was not surprised by Winry’s answer.

After nodding slightly, he immediately decided to take his leave and return to the hotel. After all, the reason he was here was largely because he was affected by the arrest of members of the Southern Front by the Northern Army. Now he understood that both sides, whether it was Wenli or Liana, were his friends. Regardless of which side he was on, he had to do something.

“Du Lei, aren’t you staying here? There are extra rooms here, we can have a good chat about what’s happened in the past eight years.” Wen Li pursed her lips. She thought for a moment and still hoped that the man in front of her could stay. Eight years later, they were no longer young, but she thought that the initial feeling had never changed.

"I think I'd better go back to the hotel. See you tomorrow then." Du Lei waved his hand, declining Wen Li's invitation. He quickly turned and left the villa. Bee Sting wanted to say something, but Wen Li stopped her. She could only step aside and watch Du Lei walk away. Soon his figure disappeared into the vast snow.

“Your Highness, aren’t you being too lenient with him? How could you agree to his request? And that guy, how dare he refuse Your Highness’s invitation? Isn’t that incredibly tactless?” Bee Sting was somewhat annoyed. She really couldn’t understand Wen Li’s actions. In other matters, she was always decisive and efficient, but why was she so indecisive about that guy?

“It’s alright, Bee Sting. Do you remember the expression on Dure’s face every time we encountered difficulties on our way to the Mountain Kingdom?” Winry shook her head. She didn’t care too much about Dure’s attitude. Instead, she recalled some distant events that she found unforgettable.

"His expression? He still wears that expression as if he's the smartest person in the world." Bee Sting thought for a moment. In her memory, Du Lei was always a boy with a stern face, never smiling. But now, eight years later, he is twenty-two or twenty-three years old, but he is still the same. It's really infuriating.

“But such an expression often means that he has found a solution to the problem. No matter how dangerous the situation is, he can perfectly resolve it and bring us out of danger.” Wenli said with a smile. At this moment, only she and Bee Sting were left in the room. Only Bee Sting could see such an expression on her face, because she usually presented a cold and indifferent expression to people, and was very domineering.

“He’s just a little luckier than the average person. What’s there to be proud of? And even after all this time, he’s still the same as before, with a long face. I feel like he hasn’t made any progress at all. I don’t know how he’s spent these past eight years. Hasn’t he learned anything else?” Bee Sting had a lot of opinions about Dure, but it wasn’t just prejudice. A large part of the reason was Winry.

As Winry's head bodyguard, she had witnessed Winry's growth over the past eight years and knew how difficult it had been for Winry. She saw how Winry, who appeared cold and aloof on the surface, longed for someone in the darkness of night. Now, she had finally seen the man she hadn't seen for eight years, but he was discussing official business the whole time. This made Bee Sting feel very sorry for Winry!

"These past eight years must have been very difficult for Mr. Dure. Although it's a bit disappointing that he always discusses official business, this is indeed the Mr. Dure we used to know. This is already very good."

Wenli looked out the window at the vast expanse of snow. The snow always came unexpectedly, just like he did. She wasn't sure when the snow would stop, or when he would leave again, but at least she could see him for the moment.

Back at the hotel, Dure was covered in snow. It was lunchtime, and Dr. Sara, Rhodes, and Tanya were eating. When they saw Dure come in, they immediately got up to greet him, and Dure brushed the snow off himself and sat down.

"Hey, Dure, Dure, you're finally back! You must be hungry, come on over, let's have lunch together." Tanya waved to Dure, looking lively and cheerful with a big smile on her face.

"Tanya? How are you feeling? Are you feeling better?" Dure was a little surprised to see Tanya eating downstairs, because she had been very weak before and always ate in her room. This was the first time she had come out to eat.

While questioning Tanya, he glanced tentatively at Rhodes beside him, hoping to get an answer from him.

"I'm fully recovered, Dure. Look at me, I'm as lively as ever! By the way, Dure, I heard that back in the Abyss of Winter, I was able to get out alive thanks to you. You're my savior... cough cough." Tanya said with a smile. If it weren't for that last cough that gave her away, Dure would almost have believed that she was alright.

"If we're talking about saviors, Tanya, you're my savior. If it weren't for Tanya and the others rescuing me in the Abyss of Winter, I don't know how much longer I would have remained trapped in the ice." Dure waved his hand and said. Although there was an element of politeness in his words, it wasn't untrue. If Dr. Sara and the others hadn't intervened, he might have remained asleep for even longer.

"We didn't do anything, cough cough, it's just that you sleep too much, Dure. Although I always feel like I don't get enough sleep and always want to stay in bed, I can't sleep as much as you, Dure!" Tanya said with a smile, but her complexion was still a bit bad, which made Rhodes next to her very worried.

()