The North American Gourmet Demon Handbook

McGee couldn't even tell who the great wizard of the School of Time was.

187 Heraldry and Alchemy

No matter what, McGee knew in his heart that this difficult man in front of him was obviously not someone who could be fooled by just a few nice words.

Still, he tried not to bleed as much as possible; it would be great if he could satisfy the man with some useful information.

Just as McGee was racking his brains to think of how to deal with Li Shanze, he didn't expect that Li Shanze and Xia Li's collaboration had already revealed a lot of his secrets.

Li Shanze originally suspected that McGee had actually been monitoring the movements of the Paradox Clock Tower, so he almost saw through all of his cards.

But when Alessia was mentioned just now, McGee's surprised yet respectful look didn't seem like an act.

Therefore, Li Shanze felt at ease.

He guessed that McGee was able to respond quickly to his threat because McGee had set up some mechanism or magic array in the Paradox Clock Tower to predict danger.

After all, time wizards are not only involved in history, but predicting the future is obviously also a major topic.

In any case, when it comes to negotiations, it is a good thing that the cards are not revealed.

So Li Shanze now just looked calm, looking at McGee with a half-smile, as if waiting for him to offer a reasonable remuneration.

This confident look made McGee feel more and more insecure.

As the Grand Wizard of the Brotherhood of Time, McGee has always been adept at using prophetic spells to find out the opponent's cards, so as to target them purposefully.

But when facing Li Shanze, McGee didn't dare to use the time-related spells that he relied on so much.

When McGee cast a spell in front of Li Shanze, he was caught in the turbulence of time and space. In order to escape the turbulence of time and space, he had to pay the price to the future and eventually lost his left hand.

Now, whenever he sees Li Shanze, his empty left hand will feel phantom pain.

In this situation, how could McGee dare to cast a spell in front of Li Shanze.

Throughout McGee's long wizarding career, he has always relied heavily on his prophecy spells.

Although as a great wizard, McGee has always been considered calm, wise, and especially good at negotiation.

But that all has a prerequisite, which is based on the fact that McGee has figured out the opponent's cards through prophecy.

Without his divination spell, McGee was even more clumsy than most negotiators.

Of course, this was the first time McGee had encountered Li Shanze, who seemed like a time singularity that could interfere with all time-based spells.

As for a strange existence like Li Shanze, with Mackey's survival wisdom, of course he would stay as far away from him as possible and avoid having anything to do with him if possible.

Otherwise, it is really harmful to health. His lost left hand is a lesson for us.

If the Paradox Clock Tower was not too important to the Time Skeleton Brotherhood, and McGee, as the school's great wizard, could not bear the consequences of losing the Paradox Clock Tower, he would not have come out to meet Li Shanze with such a strong will.

He was worried about his own safety, about meeting the person he least wanted to meet, and about being blackmailed and bleeding profusely. McGee's face was full of worry.

However, he was still trying to find a breakthrough: "Ms. Butner, it seems that you have successfully become a formal wizard. Please allow me to congratulate you. I wonder if you have decided on the school of your future?"

McGee waved his remaining right hand and, as if by magic, produced two coats of arms. "This is the coat of arms of the Historian, usually awarded to those who have made significant contributions to the Brotherhood of Time. You two have protected our sacred site, the Paradox Bell Tower, and are fully qualified to receive this coat of arms."

"No, to be more precise, it's the honor of these two coats of arms. Please don't mind, and be sure to accept them."

"Also, these two pure gold emblems are blessed by the Tokoyami Brotherhood, which will improve your luck."

Although McGee didn't think this function was useful for Li Shanze, a weird existence, but since he was just bragging, he had to pick the nice ones to brag about.

"This isn't just a good luck emblem. With this emblem, you two can freely enter and exit the library in the Paradox Clock Tower—the Paradox Library."

"Not only does it contain many ancient witchcraft scrolls for Ms. Butner to browse, but it also provides access to erased historical archives, such as the complete Warren Commission report, encrypted chapters on Epstein's client list, and so on."

(Note: The Warren Commission is also known as the Presidential Commission to Investigate the Assassination of Kennedy)

"But please note that these files can only be read in the Paradox Library. Bringing them back to the real world will constitute a federal crime."

McGee warned earnestly.

The reason why McGee did not say that Charlie could learn the precious time-based witchcraft, nor did he explain the taboos of time-based witchcraft, but instead used the words "reading ancient witchcraft scrolls" was precisely because of Li Shanze's existence.

After all, her man is someone who can interfere with time spells, so what's the point of learning time spells?

So McGee's warning is just based on reality.

Li Shanze and Xia Li looked at each other and did not refuse the emblem called "Historian".

At least there is a way to leave the Paradox Clock Tower.

And since Xia Li has truly embarked on the path of witchcraft, she does need a lot of documents to read and learn.

However, after receiving the two pure gold emblems, Li Shanze said with a half-smile, "I remember that being a 'historian' is a serious federal crime, right? Isn't the federal government no longer allowing the study of history?"

"Mr. McGee, please don't forget that I am an FBI agent. Are you trying to bribe a federal agent with a federal crime?"

"Hahahahahaha." McGee laughed happily, even pointing at Li Shanze with his right hand, saying that the joke was great.

"Wait, what are you laughing at, Mr. McGee?" Charlie asked confusedly. She didn't understand why McGee suddenly looked like he was seriously ill.

The wrinkles on McGee's face smoothed out with laughter: "Of course it's because of Mr. Li's joke."

"For someone like us, a federal charge is no big deal." McGee shook his head and explained to Charlie, "Although federal laws are becoming increasingly complex with each revision, do you know where they are classified in the Paradox Library?"

"Uh, historical data? Legal documents?" Charlie tried to guess.

"Of course not, it's 'alchemy'." McGee explained.

Charlie frowned. She couldn't believe her ears. After all, her teacher was the great wizard of alchemy.

"Alchemy? Why alchemy? Is there something wrong?"

"What is the core of alchemy? Exchange. The more miracles you achieve, the more you must pay."

McGee was smiling, graceful, with kind and wise eyes. At this moment, he really looked like a great wizard.

"And doesn't federal law tell us what the price is for killing someone, and what the price is for evading taxes and accumulating wealth?"

The Great Wizard explained.

"But, but, alchemy?"

Charlie still couldn't accept what the great wizard said.

"Yes, according to conventional alchemical formulas, federal law is not alchemy."

"Because federal law doesn't actually require us to pay anything, this is truly something created out of nothing. It's more like a menu than alchemy."

McGee seemed to misunderstand Charlie. "But you know why we don't put federal law on the menu for things like cream cheese gratin?"

"Dishes, menu?" Xia Li's tone became even more confused?

"Ms. Butner, your teacher hasn't taken you to visit the Holy Land of the Boiling Sage, right?" McGee suddenly asked as if to change the subject.

Charlie slowly shook her head: "Yeah, no."

"Then you don't know where the 'Self-Verification Corridor', the sacred place of the Seething Sage, is? It's not like the Paradox Bell Tower, hidden between virtuality and reality." McGee continued.

"No, I didn't know that," Charlie said.

"The location of the Self-Verifying Corridor is the Chicago Board of Trade (CME)," McGee said slowly. "Transforming everything into US dollars at no cost, isn't that true alchemy?"

"After all, even when the Boiling Sage established his holy land, he chose the futures exchange."

"Ms. Butner, now you understand why we include federal law in the category of alchemy, don't you?"

McGee said slowly with a smile on his face.

Facing Xia Li, a novice who had just become a wizard, he was not as nervous as he was facing Li Shanze. He took the initiative in just a few words.

This put McGee in a good mood, so the smile on his face was genuine.

But after Li Shanze coughed twice, his smile looked a little stiff.

Author's words: Thanks to the original soundtrack for the urging votes and recommendation votes

Thanks to Yinzhishisan, Qianxiaoanran, and Xiaopingguo112633 for their recommendation votes

188 Genman Esoteric Cult

McGee couldn't explain why, but whenever Li Shanze coughed, he felt uneasy for no reason.

Although he didn't know that Li Shanze could eliminate many supernatural powers by coughing, he also didn't know that Li Shanze could control this power.

And this time, Li Shanze's cough did not have the effect of erasing the supernatural power.

But McGee still subconsciously panicked.

Perhaps this is the reason why the great wizard of the time system who is proficient in prophecy has a keen sense of danger.

So the smile of the elder who originally looked quite "kind" when looking at the younger generation underwent some subtle changes.

Although his smile remained essentially the same, the slightest movement of his facial muscles changed the look from kind to fawning.

"Of course, these are off-topic. What I really want to say is that your moonlight bottle earrings have always been regarded as sacred objects by the Root Man Esoteric Sect—"

McGee's change of subject was rather abrupt.

However, Xia Li asked in dissatisfaction, "Why? The Moonlight Bottle was originally made by an alchemist. It wouldn't be surprising if it was regarded as a sacred object by the Boiling Sage, but why is it regarded as a sacred object by the Root Mane Esoteric Cult?"

"Because the moonshine bottle can preserve plants intact. Those dying plants preserved in the moonshine bottle will still be dying when they are taken out, right?" McGee asked.

Charlie nodded as a matter of course. "Of course. Otherwise, why would the alchemists expend so much resources and energy, risking being hunted down by the Church, to create the Moonlight Bottle?"

"That's the problem. Ahem." McGee said after two dry coughs, "Remember the Root Cult I mentioned? Many of them regard themselves as slaves of plants..."

"The Root Man Esoteric School is different from other schools. Although their doomsday prophecies are all triggered by existential crises, the Root Man Esoteric School even actively embraces their own existential crises and attempts to advance their doomsday prophecy - the Great Greening."

"All chlorophytes begin to devour traces of civilization. Asphalt roads will bloom, skyscrapers will be covered with vines, and most of humanity will perish. Only those of the Root Vine Esoteric Cult who have 'evolved' to rely on photosynthesis will transmit their mute annual ring diaries among the treetops..."

No, why does this Manmi sect become more and more crazy the more I listen to it?

In reality, those environmental protection organizations are just selling indulgences, but this Root Man Esoteric Cult sounds like it really wants to destroy humanity.

Li Shanze couldn't help but suspect that McGee had a grudge against the people of the Genman Secret Sect, so he slandered them in order to smuggle his own agenda.

However, considering that this school of wizardry is simply named "Esotericism", it seems unlikely to be normal...

"Now you also know that the so-called immortality technology is actually an association composed of a group of wizards who specialize in the subject of immortality. Is that right?"

"Guess what the purpose of the Root Man Esoteric Cult members who joined Eternal Life Technology is?"

Li Shanze couldn't help but say, "Uh, could it be that they're not seeking immortality for themselves, but for the immortality of the plants?"

"Right." McGee snapped his fingers. "That's right. Just imagine how tempting it would be for them to have a moonshine bottle that could preserve dying plants forever."

Li Shanze was speechless.

"When Mr. Barnum was still alive, they might not have dared to have any bad ideas. But now Mr. Barnum is dead. So they are looking for it frantically," McGee continued.

"So, we have to be careful of these stray dogs on the roadside even when we walk?" Li Shanze stared at McGee, waiting for him to sell the solution.

"No, no, no. Fortunately, the greenery in big cities in the United States is very poor, so those crazy people in the Root Man Esoteric Cult naturally dislike big cities."

"They even chose California's Redwood National Park as their sacred site. As long as you don't go to the countryside, you generally don't have to worry about encountering them."

Li Shanze always felt that it was better to cut the grass at its roots than to guard against thieves for a thousand days. Instead of being bitten by a wild dog while walking on the road, it was better to take action first.

So he tried to find out more: "Sequoia National Park?"

"Yes, they deified the giant sequoia tree called General Sherman, the 'World Lord,' and established the 'World Sanctuary' there."

Ignoring the ridiculously immature name of the World Sanctuary, Li Shanze frowned, "Giant Sequoia? God?"

He and Charlie looked at each other and recalled their previous experience in Fern Town.

McGee nodded. "Yeah, they deify that 84-meter giant sequoia."

Li Shanze couldn't help but ask, "Before in Fern Town, we met a true god who was the incarnation of a North American redwood. Why didn't we see anyone from the Root Mane Esoteric Sect?"

"What, God?" McGee was surprised. "Are there really gods in this world?"

He showed obvious interest in the topic: "What kind of god is this? Can you take me to see him? For the sake of us being 'historians'."

Good man, you just gave me a little benefit, and now you're trying to get close to me, right?

"Sorry, He has fallen." Li Shanze shook his head.

"Uh, ah!" McGee suddenly realized, his tone not without regret. "The National Guard was mobilized to Fern Town a while ago because of the fall of this god?"

It seems that the news about this matter has been well suppressed. Even a great wizard like you doesn’t know about it?