Alchemy Principles of Type-Moon World

"It's just the right time for Guan Gong to show up. Let's drink three cups now." Uncle Liu said as he handed the wine glass to Xing Qingjiu with a mischievous smile on his face: "You should drink three cups in front of Guan Gong."

"Foreign liquor?" Xing Qingwu was stunned. Looking at the tequila in his hand, he couldn't help but chuckle.

"Yes, this place only sells foreign liquor for the time being," Uncle Liu explained with a smile, his tone relaxed. "But it's okay, Guan Gong is still effective anywhere."

Upon hearing this, Xing Qingji raised his glass and bowed to the statue of Guan Gong. Then, he tilted his head back and downed the tequila in one gulp. The fiery liquid slid down his throat, quickly spreading through his limbs and bones, bringing a fierce warmth.

Then, without hesitation, he filled the second cup, raised it to the statue of Guan Yu again, and drank it solemnly. The same thing happened with the third cup. After Xing Qing finished drinking it, he felt warm all over and felt like he had endless energy.

"Okay, Qingjiu," Uncle Liu patted Xing Qingjiu's shoulder and said with a smile, "Guan Gong has given you guidance. The rest is up to you."

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It was almost eleven o'clock when I got back from the ice cream shop. I was not sure whether the Cantonese was well written, so I revised it for a long time. Anyway, it is roughly like this. If there is anything wrong, please point it out. Thank you!

I feel like I am either reading, working part-time or taking classes now, and I have less and less time.

The above is a new book by a new author. Please vote and give me feedback. Thank you!

Interlude: GTA Limited-Time Crossover: Battle of Foboler: 7. Don't set random flags, and don't trust your luck

The I-5 Freeway shone a blinding white under the blazing midday sun, the road scorching as if scorched by fire. The scorching air distorted the distant horizon, casting a hazy, undulating image. A gray-white SUV sped south along the highway, swiftly passing through one barren stretch after another. Dust swirled in the rearview mirror for a long time, and the occasional soft crunch of fine gravel could be heard as the wheels scraped across the road.

James leaned halfway back in the passenger seat, staring out the window. In his view, sparse, sparse trees and twigs of yellow hay darted past on either side of the road, like film rewinding frame by frame in a projector. He glanced at the GPS. The small green dot on the screen continued to blink southward, but since getting in the car, everything they had been doing seemed so uneventful—so much so that he felt a certain uneasy sense of dissonance.

"It's been almost half a day," James said suddenly, his voice tinged with impatience and a hint of sarcasm. His eyes unconsciously curled upwards, revealing a hint of mockery. "And there hasn't been any movement so far. Are the FBI and CIA just there to do nothing?!"

"Ha, isn't this good news?" Xing Qingfeng, sitting in the driver's seat, smiled faintly. His arm rested leisurely on the edge of the car window, his fingers tapping the frame. Sunlight filtered through the glass, casting a light shadow on his face. He focused intently on the road ahead and replied in a relaxed tone, "According to the time, we'll be in Mexico this afternoon."

"Aren't we stopping in San Diego?"

"No need." Xing Qingqi's tone was calm, his eyes quickly glancing at the fuel gauge before he slowly slowed down. "If you're hungry, just bear with it for a while. According to the original plan, this trip would take about fourteen hours. But now we've already spent nine hours and haven't even reached the border yet—"

"Although we have to go through a short stretch of desert next," he continued, glancing sideways at the rearview mirror and observing the distance to the cars behind him, "we don't have much time to stop and resupply. The faster we cross the border, the safer it will be."

"Nine hours... and nothing has happened... Tsk," James shook his head slowly, mockingly saying, "What a bunch of idiots wasting taxpayers' money."

"Please, stop making these promises." Xing Qingfeng glanced at him and couldn't help laughing as he teased, "Do you know that if this kind of talk were put into a novel, we'd be attacked the next second. Can't you just let us get through safely?"

"I know, I just..." James raised an eyebrow and looked out the window. His shoulders shrugged slightly, as if he had reluctantly given up on some obsession. His voice gradually lowered, "I just feel a little... Never mind."

His words drifted through the air, quickly dissolving into the rolling dust as the wind whistled outside the car window. Xing Qingfeng stopped teasing and instead slightly stepped on the accelerator. The SUV steadily accelerated on the highway, continuing its journey southward.

The atmosphere on the highway was dull and tense. The sun shone glaringly on the off-white SUV, and a nagging heat seeped in through the windows. James's gaze shifted, lost in a complex train of thought. In this silence, Xing Qingfeng suddenly patted him on the shoulder, breaking the silent pressure.

"It's all over, brother." Xing Qingfeng's tone was calm, with a hint of sincere comfort. "After you get out, you'll have nothing to do with the United States anymore. Relax and embrace your new life." His hand lingered on James' shoulder for a moment, then slowly withdrew and placed it on the steering wheel. "Your family has already arrived safely in England. They're waiting for you."

James was stunned when he heard this, and the defensiveness in his eyes instantly dissipated. He blinked in disbelief. "When did this happen?" He blurted out, with a hint of hesitation and uncertainty in his tone, "I thought..."

"You thought we'd wait until you left to arrange for them?" Xing Qingyu smiled, his eyes still focused on the road ahead. His right fingertips tapped the steering wheel, exuding a familiar, calm sense of control. "That would only make it harder for us to get them back. When I went to pick you up last night, they were already on the plane." He paused, a hint of relief in his words. "It was indeed a wise decision for you to move out on your own. At least your family isn't under close surveillance and can leave through normal channels."

"I don't know what to say..." James' brows relaxed slightly, he nodded slightly, a hint of gratitude and relief in his eyes, and murmured softly, "...just...thank you."

He hadn't finished speaking when he was suddenly interrupted by the scene ahead. The traffic in the distance gradually thickened into a long queue, almost filling every lane of the highway. At the front of the queue, officers in orange reflective vests were busy shuttling between each car. Through the car windows, they could faintly see helmets gleaming in the sunlight. Xing Qingqi's brows furrowed slightly. He rolled down the window and leaned out to look ahead. With the dynamic vision of a Servant, he easily saw the situation ahead -

——There is a temporary checkpoint ahead, which carefully checks every passing vehicle to prevent any suspicious people from passing.

"Look, James," Xing Qingfeng took a deep breath, turned his head back, closed the car window, and calmly glanced at James beside him with a sneer on his face, "This time it's really what you wished for—"

"——The FBI is really not just sitting around doing nothing."

"Shit! I really hope they're a bunch of useless losers!" James was stunned for a moment, gritted his teeth, and cursed under his breath, "What should I do in this situation?"

"Let me see..." Xing Qingqi replied calmly. He quickly reached under the seat and pulled out an old, yellowed map, spreading it across his lap. His fingers slowly slid along the road, finally finding a small path on the map. He stared intently at the route. "The highway is blocked. We need to take the small path instead."

"Trail?" James leaned forward and glanced at the path that snaked like a snake on the map. "What do you mean?"

"Let's turn right off the main road and drive along the edge of the desert." Xing Qingfeng pointed to the area marked on the map, his tone revealing a hint of confidence. "Although it will take a little longer, it's much safer than getting stopped at a checkpoint. Is that okay?"

"Of course, bro," James took a deep breath, raised his hand and patted Xing Qingqi's shoulder, and said with a smile, "You have the final say."

The I-5 main road receded, and their SUV turned onto a dusty side road, its wheels rolling over the desolate sand, sending up clouds of dust. It was eerily quiet, with only the occasional thud of sand and gravel being flung by the wheels. Xing Qingfeng gripped the steering wheel tightly with one hand and accelerated as fast as he could, intent on escaping any following gazes in an unobserved area.

"The trail is more remote, with less surveillance and patrols." He looked up at the road conditions, scanning every corner and terrain. "We'll be slower than planned, but as long as we can shake them off, we can still cross the border on time."

"I have a bad feeling about this," James said, taking in the surroundings. "I hope we can have better luck."

"Damn, if we really bet on better luck," Xing Qingfeng joked with a smile. He kept glancing at the rearview mirror, closely monitoring the movements behind them. "Then we're screwed. I've never had any good luck in my life."

The car sped away, but when Xing Qingqi glanced at the rearview mirror again, he caught a glimpse of something unusual. At the edge of his field of vision, a black SUV was approaching from behind them at a breakneck speed, barely visible amidst the rising dust. Then, the outlines of a second and third vehicle gradually became clearer.

"Shit," he cursed under his breath, looking away from the rearview mirror, quickly assessing the terrain ahead and every possible escape route. With a slight adjustment of the steering wheel, he quickly edged closer to the dry brush on the side of the road, attempting to use the terrain as a cover. But just then, the car behind him began to accelerate, closing in, even the FBI logo on the car's hull becoming faintly visible in the thrashing headlights.

"What's going on?" Although James is a former astronaut, his eyesight is still not as good as Xing Qingqi's, and he cannot see the black SUV behind him.

"FBI, it looks like our luck is really bad." He sneered and turned to James and shouted, "Hold on tight, they won't let us go."

"If the road ahead is also blocked," James gripped the door armrest tightly, his face solemn. He couldn't help but glance back, but his sight couldn't penetrate the smoke and dust. "What should we do?"

"Impossible," Xing Qingfu's voice remained calm. "They just saw us and didn't have time to set up a full encirclement. As long as we shake them off, we can still break out."

Before he could finish his words, the agents in the black SUV behind him suddenly opened the rear door. Several agents wearing black body armor crouched in the back of the car, quickly raising their black assault rifles and aiming at the rapidly fleeing vehicle ahead. Xing Qingqiu caught this scene in the rearview mirror and placed his hand on the back of James' head, pressing down. "Get down!"

"Bang! Bang! Bang!" A series of bullets tore through the air, colliding with the SUV's hull with a dull thud. The bullets sent sparks flying off the doors and windows, and the SUV's bulletproof glass emitted a sharp "bang bang" sound. Although it didn't shatter immediately, the windows were already covered with spiderweb-like cracks. James instinctively ducked down, his hands covering his head, clinging to the seat. He felt the impact of the bullets cause the entire car to tremble slightly.

"Sharpshooter? They are serious this time." Xing Qingyu gritted his teeth, he stepped on the accelerator hard, and the SUV rushed towards the more remote wasteland ahead like a wild horse in the night.

However, the vehicle behind them remained undeterred, following steadily. As they pursued, they adjusted their firing angles, aiming for precise hits on the SUV's vital points. A bullet struck the edge of the window, sending the glass denting inward. The crack spread into tiny fragments, finally shattering with a violent explosion.

Glass fragments flew everywhere, and several sharp pieces of glass carried rapid shock waves across James' abdomen. He groaned and covered his injured abdomen. Blood slowly seeped out from between his fingers, staining his shirt red.

"James?" Xing Qingfeng glanced at the injured James. "He won't die, right?"

"I won't die," James checked his wound, "no internal injuries."

"Take care of it yourself," Xing Qingyu pulled open the drawer of the car, took out a bottle of absinthe and handed it to James, "Take a couple of sips to relieve the pain."

Xing Qingfeng didn't hesitate, refocusing his attention and steering the car toward a low sand dune ahead. He gripped the steering wheel tightly, trying to maintain speed while thinking about how to use the terrain to shake off the enemy.

As the SUV drove up the dune, the ground became more unstable, and the car body swayed left and right on the sand. Every bump aggravated the pain in James' abdomen. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead and his face turned pale. At this moment, a bullet whizzed past the rear door of the SUV and embedded itself into the car body, erupting a sharp sound of metal collision.

"Damn it, they're still chasing us!" James gritted his teeth, trying to hold back the pain. "If they keep going like this, we won't be able to hold on for much longer."

"Isn't that fucking bullshit?" He suddenly turned the steering wheel, and the SUV veered sharply, speeding into an even narrower passage. Here, the uneven gravel on both sides further restricted vision. The FBI vehicle was unable to keep up for a while, and the distance between them finally widened.

"Shit," James poured most of the bottle of wine on the wound and took two more sips, then almost couldn't help vomiting, "What the hell is this?"

"I feel like I took a bite of wormwood from the wild," James complained, "and then dumped a bunch of cumin in my mouth and then slammed some rubbing alcohol on top. It's fucking awful."

"Why else would this have stayed in my car for so long?" Xing Qing replied, "If it tasted good, I would have finished it long ago."

At this moment, Xing Qingfu focused his attention on a dry riverbed. He suddenly turned the car around and rushed directly to the bottom of the river. At the same time, he secretly performed a magic trick to let the raised dust obscure the vision of the vehicles behind as much as possible.

Using the dust as cover, Xing Qingfeng took advantage of the moment when James was tending to his wounds and not paying attention to the surroundings to quickly perform two magic tricks on the car, reducing the engine noise to a minimum. Then he found a small slope in the dust and parked the car behind it.

Taking advantage of the dust, Xing Qingfeng quickly drove the SUV down a small slope into the river and quietly parked it. He peered out the rear window and saw the FBI convoy, like a pack of hounds running wildly through the dust, continue to speed past their hiding place, seemingly unaware of the SUV's sudden disappearance.

"Gone? Are they so blind that they just left us there?" James said in disbelief. "Come on, it's just a small slope. Are they blind?"

"Okay, stop asking so many questions," Xing Qingwu restarted the engine and turned the car in another direction. "They will definitely come back to check later, so let's retreat first."

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The ice cream shop owner allowed me to memorize the book during my free time at work, but he wouldn’t let me type on my phone or tablet. Damn it.

Today I changed shifts early, so I hurried back to write a little. There should be no problem updating daily in the future, but it may be a little late, sorry (

The above is a new book by a new author. Please vote and give me feedback. Thank you!

Interlude: GTA Limited-Time Crossover: Battle of Folpoler: 8. Why can mercury cure diseases?

"Wait, what's in your hand?" James' voice was filled with obvious panic, his eyes fixed on the slender test tube in Xing Qingqi's hand. The liquid in the test tube reflected a strange metallic luster in the faint sunlight.

The desolate desert wind, mixed with sand, howled past, stirring up dust that made the air seem even drier and more oppressive. His breathing became rapid due to the pain of his wound, and he covered the bloodied abdomen with his palm, his whole body trembling.

Xing Qingwu raised his chin slightly, trying to make his expression more serious. "This is a British specialty," he said seriously. He slowly brought the test tube to James's lips. "No one can get something this pure."

James sucked in a breath of cold air and stepped back hastily, his movements somewhat awkwardly, before falling to the ground. He brought up a small piece of sand, which flew everywhere.

He used his hands and feet to support himself on the ground, trying to increase the distance between himself and Xing Qingjiu. "Shit! Why do I feel like you're lying to me?!" His voice was a little hoarse, and he was obviously enduring severe pain. "You're telling me this thing can cure diseases?!"

Xing Qingjiu looked at James calmly, as if considering how to explain. He paused for a moment, his eyes fixed on the deep scratch on James's abdomen. The blood had soaked through his tattered shirt, leaving a reddish-brown stain on the dirty sand.

"Although it's a bit difficult to explain," Xing Qingqiu frowned slightly, but his tone remained calm, "but it really can heal your injury."

"You fucking—" He was about to say something else, but his words were interrupted by the sharp pain in his abdomen. He clenched his teeth, and the muscles on his face twitched. He tried to suppress the pain, but he couldn't help but let out a low groan.

"—this thing looks like fucking liquid metal. Hey, that's it."

The sun gradually rose higher, and the desert's temperature rapidly increased. The sky above was a brilliant blue, almost cloudless. Heat waves rose from the ground, distorting the distant horizon like a mirage. The desolate place they found themselves in seemed devoid of any signs of life, save for the occasional flight of vultures and the endless yellow sand.

During the recent FBI raid, bullets shattered the SUV's bulletproof glass, sending sharp shards scattering throughout the cabin. James suffered a deep gash in the abdomen. Blood oozed from his waist, flowing through his tattered clothing and onto the seat, leaving a sticky stain. While fortunately, his intestines weren't damaged, the wound wouldn't last long in this desolate, dry desert.

The only absinthe Xing Qingfu had could only be used for simple disinfection. Given the depth of the wound and the environmental conditions, it was completely unable to prevent the infection.

The two men's options were severely limited. Going to San Diego was an option, but it was clear that the border city had been alerted, and the FBI had likely already begun searching and controlling San Diego. Xing Qingqiu continued driving the battered SUV, contemplating the current situation. The thought of forcing his way across the border under these circumstances slightly frowned on his face, but there was no other choice.

James's breathing became increasingly rapid, his face pale as paper. The pain from his wounds and the blood loss made his eyes blurry. The oppressive atmosphere in the car was suffocating, even breathing seemed heavy. James leaned weakly against the seat, occasionally reaching up to cover his abdomen, trying to ease the pain, but to no avail. The air inside the car was filled with the smell of blood and dry sand, as if every second was approaching despair.

In this case, treating the wound on James' abdomen became a top priority. It was a bit embarrassing that because the effects of the various spiritual medicines he refined covered a wide range, Xing Qingfeng had never studied any healing magic at all.

——This resulted in Xing Qingfu being unable to drive secretly while keeping James' injury from getting worse, and he didn't dare to bet that James' wound wouldn't get infected.

He slammed the brakes hard from the driver's seat, and the car stopped in a sunken patch of sand. Dust billowed in the air as the brakes screeched. Xing Qingqu quickly unbuckled his seatbelt, turned around, and pulled a small test tube from his pocket. The liquid inside gleamed metallically in the sunlight.

"Listen," he suddenly leaned over, grabbed James by the collar, and yanked him out of his seat, "we both know the situation—"

"—We can't stay in any border cities. San Diego is out of the question. The best solution is to go all the way south and cross the border directly."

"And if you don't treat your injuries, I can't guarantee you won't get infected and die here."

"I understand, but this thing..." James looked at the test tube in Xing Qingqi's hand, "Isn't it really some mysterious potion used by witch doctors?"

"Bro, I trust you won't hurt me," James whispered, his voice weak and painful. His hand gently covered the wound on his abdomen, his blood-stained fingertips trembling slightly. He forced a smile, trying to hide his inner fear. "I won't ask about pharmacology, but can you explain the ingredients of this medicine to me?"

The atmosphere inside the car was heavy. The desert sand rustled against the windows, accompanied by the wind. It felt as if the entire world was isolated in this lonely wilderness. A burning smell hung in the air, and a sense of oppression overwhelmed him. James narrowed his eyes, staring intently at the test tube in Xing Qingqi's hand. The liquid swayed slowly within the tube, emitting an eerie metallic sheen.

Xing Qingfeng said nothing, his gaze shifting from James's face to the test tube in his hand. The car was completely silent, with only James's breathing being the only sound in the stillness. The whistling of the yellow sand drifted in the distance, as if silently urging their decision. Time seemed to slow down at this moment, as if every second was stretching out infinitely.

"Bro, you said you'd never lie to your friends, right?" James swallowed hard. "So what is this thing made of?"

Xing Qingwu still didn't respond, but just sighed softly, frowning, as if weighing whether to tell James the truth. James's eyes followed the swaying liquid closely, and the doubt in his eyes grew stronger and stronger.

"This is a trade secret." Xing Qingwu's voice finally broke the silence.

"But why does it look like molten metal?" James demanded, frowning. "If this thing had even a hint of being edible, I'd have drunk it. But now it looks like some medieval panacea made by dissolving gold in aqua regia."

"This is my... special coloring to make it look even cooler." Xing Qingqiu curled his lips and revealed a faint smile. "Like I said, it's something that even the president of the Royal Society of London has approved."

"Which president of the Royal Society are you talking about..." James narrowed his eyes, revealing a hint of suspicion. "Is it a modern person?"

"That's my teacher. Do you think I can learn from an ancient person?" Xing Qingyu asked back with a hint of amusement in his tone.

"...You're right." James was stunned for a moment, then nodded softly, muttering, "I don't want to be so stubborn, but it really doesn't look like it's worth eating."

"So..." James hesitated for a moment, raised his head, and fixed his eyes on the test tube in Xing Qingqi's hand again, "Can you tell me its ingredients?"

"Will you drink if I tell you?"

"I promise," James took a deep breath, gritted his teeth, and managed to show a firm expression and whispered softly, with a hint of weakness in his voice, "I just want some peace of mind."

"mercury."

"What?" James' face turned pale in an instant, as if he had heard something incredible.

"Or, elemental mercury." Xing Qingfu remained calm, as if the test tube contained not mercury but pure water.

Before he finished speaking, he poured the liquid in the test tube into James' mouth without hesitation. James was caught off guard and had almost no time to react. The cool liquid instantly poured into his throat, with the unique coldness of metal.

"Okay, good boy, it's time to take your medicine." Xing Qingyu patted James' shoulder gently, as if it was the most ordinary action.

James struggled violently, coughing and trying to spit out the liquid, but the cold feeling had already slid down his throat into his stomach. His face became even uglier, and he shouted in a hoarse voice: "Shit, are you damn sure this thing works?"

The wind and sand outside the car were still raging, and a layer of fine sand had covered the car windows. The entire desert looked even more desolate under the afterglow of the setting sun.

"No, fuck," James continued to yell angrily, his voice echoing in the narrow carriage, stirring up a wave of echoes. However, when he looked down, he was surprised to find that his abdomen had indeed stopped bleeding, and the wound seemed to be healing miraculously. His hand covering the wound unconsciously relaxed, and he could hardly believe his eyes, "Why the hell is this really working--"

"—Why the hell can mercury really cure diseases?!"

When Xing Qingyu heard this question, he was stunned for a moment.

He hadn't really thought about this question. Yeah, why? Why did the elixir have to be made of mercury and not something else?

He shook his head, put the question in his mind for the time being, and thought about it slowly. The current situation was not the time for him to spend his time on this problem.

"Well, the specific reason is a commercial secret," Xing Qingfeng said casually. Qi Qi dealt with James, but his thoughts were constantly churning. "Anyway, let's go first."

"So your business isn't just about aerospace," James continued, seemingly oblivious to the pain he'd just felt, "but also about pharmaceutical research and development?"