Alchemists do not need self-cultivation

Time passed by day by day.

Isaac was still living at Hughes' house. He basically spent every day sleeping in a chair at night and finding himself in bed the next day.

Over time, Isaac got used to it.

Day .

A roar erupted from the reading room of the National Central Library's First Branch.

"Are you kidding me!"

Lieutenant Ross, the female soldier who was guarding the two men, immediately opened the door and ran inside.

Upon entering, she found the two sitting on the floor, with documents scattered around them.

"What's wrong? Are you having trouble with the analysis?"

"No, it's been analyzed!" Edward clutched his forehead in anguish.

"Isn't that a good thing?" Lieutenant Ross frowned slightly. He didn't understand why the two brothers, who had already deciphered the document, had such pained expressions.

“The material for the Philosopher’s Stone is…human beings!” Edward said through gritted teeth.

"What?!" Ross couldn't believe his ears.

Alphonse then spoke up, "Now I finally understand why Mr. Marco called it 'the devil's experiment,' and why Mr. Isaac has been unwilling to tell us the secret of the Philosopher's Stone."

After a moment of silence, Edward said to Lieutenant Ross, who had just walked in, "Please, just pretend you didn't hear what happened. Don't tell anyone."

Ross looked at the two brothers in pain and promised, "Yes, I won't tell anyone."

That's true, but what she didn't expect was that she would run into Major Armstrong after she went outside.

------

Back in the intelligence department, Hughes and Isaac continued their investigation into the androids.

“There’s no information about androids in the library’s criminal records, and I don’t dare let my men investigate. After all, if this involves the highest levels of the government, an overly open investigation could easily be sabotaged.” Hughes held the documents in his hand, his brow furrowed.

After all, if there really are high-level officials interfering, then the investigation will become extremely difficult.

"This is really troublesome. I really want to chop up all those people in the Central Command so that none of them can escape."

"Stop messing around."

Just as the two were deep in thought, Isaac suddenly had a brilliant idea.

"Wait, if this matter involves the military, there's one place we might be able to investigate."

“Where?” Hughes asked.

Isaac picked up a map from the bookshelf and spread it out on the table.

“The Third and Fifth Research Institutes in Central City,” Isaac said.

Is there anything strange about these two places?

“First, there’s the Third Research Institute,” Isaac said, pointing to the map. “This is where Marco did his research, so there’s a good chance we can find clues there.”

After a pause, Isaac pointed to a building marked with an X on the map: "And then there's the Fifth Research Institute."

Hughes asked curiously, "This Fifth Research Institute was abandoned a long time ago, so what's suspicious about it?"

“I’ve passed through there in Central City these past few days. There are still soldiers guarding the Fifth Research Institute. It’s unusual for soldiers to guard an abandoned research institute. There’s probably something inside.”

Isaac's words moved Hughes somewhat.

"Furthermore, the execution ground is right next to it."

Thinking about it that way, it is indeed possible.

Hughes lowered his head in thought, realizing that the most suspicious place at the moment was the Fifth Research Institute.

"These two places are too dangerous, I'll investigate them myself. You go back to the library and look up some information. That's settled then."

With that said, the two began their operation.

Investigating the Third Research Institute was simple. As a brigadier general, Isaac felt no pressure entering such a place, and no one dared to stop him.

After Marco left, the institute switched to researching other things.

After searching around and finding nothing of value, Isaac left, by which time it was already dark outside.

“Violet, you go back to the Hughes house first. I can go to the Fifth Research Institute by myself,” Isaac said. “Remember to tell them to save some dinner for me.”

"Understood," Violet said as she left.

Isaac watched Violet leave and then walked alone toward the Fifth Research Institute.

As mentioned before, even though the Fifth Research Institute was abandoned, it was still guarded by soldiers, even at night.

Upon seeing Isaac, the soldier saluted and said, "Greetings! Brigadier General Isaac!"

"Comrades, you've worked hard. I just heard some noise inside. I'll go in and check it out. I'll be right back." He said, preparing to go inside.

A soldier asked, "Um, Brigadier General, isn't it too dangerous for you to go in alone? Do you need us to accompany you?"

"It's okay, I can manage on my own."

Isaac ignored the soldiers and went straight inside.

Not long after I went inside, I heard a series of metallic clanging sounds.

Following the sound, they saw two suits of armor fighting back and forth.

"There really are people fighting..."

A suit of armor heard someone speaking, turned around, and saw Isaac standing there.

"Mr. Isaac?!"

"That voice is... Alphonse?" Isaac also saw the armor clearly; it was indeed Alphonse.

The armor he was fighting was a wide-bodied, stout-looking Japanese armor, with a helmet resembling the skull of some kind of animal. As soon as he saw Isaac arrive, he shouted, "Hahaha, another one! Today is really fun!!"

Before he finished speaking, he charged at Isaac with the machete in his hand.

Seeing his opponent charging towards Isaac, Alphonse quickly shouted, "Mr. Isaac, watch out..."

However, before he could finish shouting, Isaac walked forward as if he hadn't seen the armor at all, and just as the armor was about to strike him, he casually punched the armor.

However, this seemingly casual punch shattered the armor instantly with tremendous force, turning the once-hard armor into fragments scattered on the ground.

Isaac, however, seemed not to notice and walked straight up to Alphonse.

"Alphonse, what are you doing here so late?"

Chapter 138: Untitled

Alphonse stood there, stunned. He hadn't expected to be caught red-handed just for going out to investigate at night.

"Um...we just want to..."

"Is your brother inside?" Isaac asked.

"This……"

"Never mind, I'll go find Edward first, you wait here," Isaac said, preparing to go inside.

I had only taken a few steps when I heard a sound coming from the ground.

"Who is this guy? He's so powerful!"

Looking back closer, I saw a piece of metal shaking on the ground, making a sound.

Isaac picked up the piece of iron, a fragment of the armor he had just shattered, with a transmutation circle clearly drawn in blood on it.

"Hey! Let me go right now!" The metal piece struggled and shouted as it saw 'itself' being held in Isaac's hand.

"No need, go back and cooperate with the investigation."

After saying that, he ignored the squealing of the metal piece, put it in his pocket, and walked toward the Fifth Research Institute.

Strange transmutation circles were drawn on an open space inside the research institute, surrounded by dried blood.

In the open space, Edward was engaged in a fierce battle with another strange suit of armor. This suit of armor even had a mask on its helmet.

The armored figure, wielding a military knife, relentlessly attacked Edward, who dodged the attacks. But soon his body was covered in blood. Gradually, he became breathless from blood loss.

"You really look like a monkey," the armored figure remarked sarcastically.

"What did you say!?"

"Hahaha... It's been a long time since I've encountered such a resistant prey. This is gratifying." The armored figure raised his saber again. "But your two companions outside should have been dealt with by now."

"Hmph... Al wouldn't, wait, you just said two?" Edward asked, puzzled.

Alphonse must be the only one who secretly infiltrated the Fifth Research Institute with me.

"Yes, one came with you, and the other arrived later. Weren't they your companions?"

"I shouldn't be..."

Isaac suddenly walked in while they were talking: "You're talking about me, aren't you?"

Edward's eyes widened instantly when he saw Isaac.

"I...Isaac!?"

Isaac looked at Edward and asked, "What are you doing at the abandoned Fifth Research Institute so late?"

Edward, his face covered in cold sweat, turned his head to the side and stammered, "Take...a walk."

"Walk to an abandoned laboratory guarded by soldiers?"

"This……"

The armored figure looked at the two men, gripped the knife in his hand, and walked towards Isaac.

"It seems my companion has been defeated by you. In that case..."

Before he even got close, a voice came from Isaac's pocket: "This guy is strong! You're no match for him!"

"Varied….."

Before he could finish speaking, Isaac had already charged in front of the armor, and as the armor spun with colorful streaks of light, it shattered into pieces in an instant.

Looking at the fragments that had fallen to the ground, Isaac picked up two pieces that were marked with a blood-red transmutation circle.