Chapter 131: The Cube and the Alchemist

Li Nanke walked to the corner of the courtyard and retrieved the metal cube from the statue's hands.

The metal cube was dark gray overall, its surface not smooth, but rather engraved with numerous patterns resembling alchemical symbols. Some of these patterns had already faded and blurred, as if they had weathered a long passage of time.

To the touch, it possessed the hardness and chill of metal, yet lacked the expected heaviness; the metal cube was likely hollow.

[The Alchemist's Cube]
[Type: Item / Permanent]
[Quality: Precious]
[Rating: 86/100]
[Details: You can infuse specific things into the cube to obtain Wish Value. Once the Wish Value reaches a certain threshold, the following 'Wishes' can be fulfilled...]
[1. Synthesize Items: Select two or more items for synthesis. The closer the properties of the items, the higher the success rate of synthesis. Conversely, dissimilar items will increase the probability of synthesis failure. Upon failure, scrap will be randomly produced.]
[2. Create Items: Consume a certain amount of Wish Value to randomly create items. Consuming more Wish Value yields a higher probability of creating high-value items; conversely, it will create low-value items or even scrap.]
[3. Acquire Knowledge: Consume a certain amount of Wish Value to acquire methods for manufacturing alchemical items, such as design blueprints for alchemical props, formulas for developing alchemical potions, etc.]
[Remarks: This is an ancient treasure left behind by an alchemist. If you can truly become an alchemist, you will be able to make better use of the cube.]

The reward for this third critical node was truly beyond imagination.

The rewarded cube was of 'Precious' quality, which was superior to 'Rare' quality. Its overall rating reached 86 points, and it was not a disposable consumable but a permanent item that could be used repeatedly. Even without reading the detailed description, one could tell that this item was of extremely high value.

"Wish Value, wishing... Is this an alchemical version of a wish-granting machine?"

Li Nanke could not help but feel both astonished and delighted.

He carefully browsed the detailed description of the cube and began studying the practical methods of using the item.

Using the cube's three wishing abilities required charging it, which meant acquiring 'Wish Value'.

Essentially none of the items on Li Nanke's person could be infused into the cube in exchange for Wish Value, except for the previously acquired 'Pure Self-Essence Crystals', which were sufficient to serve as the cube's starting fuel.

A single small self-essence crystal could be exchanged for 1 point of Wish Value. If he were to throw all his crystals into the cube, he could exchange them for 310 points of Wish Value.

The wishing mechanism for synthesizing items consumed Wish Value based on the quality and combined rating of the two synthesized items.

The synthesis option could not only synthesize various props but also equipment and weapons.

He attempted to toss both the 'Shock Blast Rifle' and the 'Linear Laser Cannon' into the cube, and a relevant prompt immediately popped up.

[This synthesis requires consuming 136 points of Wish Value. The synthesis success rate is 22.37%. Do you wish to confirm the synthesis?]

"Why is the success rate so low?"

Li Nanke frowned. He chose not to synthesize and instead swapped out two other items to try again.

After repeated attempts, he discovered that the success probability of synthesis was shockingly low. Even when he threw in two fairly similar melee weapons, the synthesis success rate was still under 30%.

He turned his attention to the second wishing item, 'Create Items'.

Creating items was divided into different stages, requiring the consumption of one hundred points of Wish Value, two hundred, five hundred, one thousand, and finally unlimited injection.

This thing felt somewhat like opening a blind box; the more Wish Value consumed, the higher the probability of getting good loot.

Of course, investment did not guarantee a return. With bad luck, one might go all-in with three hundred points of Wish Value and end up with nothing more than useless scrap.

"It feels a bit like a trap..."

Finally, there was the wishing option to acquire knowledge, using Wish Value to exchange for alchemical blueprints. This option was similar to creating items, carrying a blind box nature. Before consuming Wish Value, it was impossible to know what kind of alchemical blueprint would be obtained.

The cube's remark was no longer teasing content, but rather told him that the cube was a treasure left behind by ancient alchemy. Only by becoming a true alchemist could one fully unleash the cube's function.

"Become an alchemist..."

Li Nanke frowned and pondered.

"This cube has a very high quality rating, but why does its actual utility feel somewhat mediocre?"

"Moreover, using the item comes with certain restrictions; not only does it require consuming self-essence crystals, but one also needs to become an alchemist."

Li Nanke contemplated for a long time, then suddenly called out toward the empty courtyard:

"Sophia, I know you've been following me the whole time. Come out."

Before long, a bright blue butterfly materialized out of thin air, fluttering its scaled wings and landing on his shoulder.

"Mr. Black Rabbit, it seems my guess was correct. Although you denied and concealed it from me, when facing Romeo, you still had to admit your true identity."

"Like the Stars, you do not belong to this world."

Li Nanke did not entangle himself with her on this topic, but instead pointed at the cube and said:

"Do you know the origin of this thing?"

"Of course." The butterfly fluttered its wings and said, "However, for the long-lost supreme treasure of the alchemists to appear here so bizarrely, and for you, Mr. Black Rabbit, to obtain it, is truly incredible... Could this be the will of the Stars?"

Li Nanke curled his lip: "Don't test me. Answer whatever I ask you, and if you keep rambling, you can go fight Simon yourself."

The blue butterfly was clearly stunned, and its continuously fluttering wings stopped as well. After waiting for quite a while, Sophia finally explained in a sullen tone:

"Ancient humans prayed to the 'Stars', but could not directly fulfill their own wishes."

"Because the 'Stars' could not comprehend people's wishes, they also responded to wishes in ways people could not comprehend. People found it difficult even to perceive whether a wish had been fulfilled."

"Ancient alchemists understood that it was necessary to express wishes directly through a certain specific method in order to obtain a direct and definite response."

"Thus the cube was born. By refining wishes and infusing them into a cube made of meteorite, and praying devoutly toward the Stars, various wishes could be fulfilled, thereby acquiring special power."

"It's just that the Stars have already concealed themselves, and the cube has consequently lost most of its connection with the Stars. Although the current cube still possesses a sliver of the ability to respond to wishes, it is far inferior to what it was in ancient times."

"I see..." Li Nanke nodded thoughtfully.

Having lost its connection with the Stars, the cube's wish-granting ability had suffered a cliff-like drop. Rather than calling it a wish-granting machine, it was more like an alchemical prop created by alchemists using stellar meteorites.

"Mr. Black Rabbit, you are not an alchemist and do not understand the true function of the cube."

"It is said that after the Stars concealed themselves, alchemists bestowed an additional function upon the cube. They sealed many ancient alchemical blueprints within the cube, and by utilizing the cube's creation prayer, countless long-extinct alchemical materials could be produced."

"Then, by utilizing the cube's synthesis prayer, alchemical items could be manufactured directly without the need for a transmutation array... I must admit, the imagination of alchemists in this regard is simply matchless."

"Of course, only a true alchemist can stably use the cube."

Hearing this, Li Nanke suddenly understood.

It turned out that the so-called item synthesis and item creation both served the final item: alchemical blueprints.

After an alchemist first prayed for a certain blueprint, they could use the 'creation prayer' to directionally generate relevant alchemical materials—truly something from nothing—and finally utilize the 'synthesis prayer' to directly generate a finished alchemical item.

It was just that he was not an alchemist, and the items he synthesized with the cube were not the alchemical objects on the blueprints, which was why the success probability was so extremely low.

"Do you know how to become an alchemist?"

The blue butterfly said: "Mr. Black Rabbit, it's not that I want to pour cold water on you, but although the cube is the supreme treasure of alchemists, the difficulty of becoming an alchemist is extremely high."

"Because alchemists, just like Trackers, require innate talent. Forgive my clumsy eyes, but I cannot see that you possess this kind of talent."

"And talent alone is not enough. Alchemists require a massive reserve of knowledge and need to study hundreds or thousands of books such as 《Elemental Theory》, 《Ether Analysis》, 《Alchemical Symbology》, 《Guidebook to Metal Noble Transformation》, 《Experimental Illustration Manual》, and so on."

"Only those who begin cultivation from childhood and receive over a decade of relevant education and training can become a junior alchemy apprentice..."

"The cube is the supreme treasure of alchemists; it requires at least the standard of an alchemy master to completely control this treasure and achieve the ability to obtain whatever one wishes for."

Hearing this, Li Nanke nodded:

"Ms. Sophia, I cannot become an alchemist for the time being, but I should be able to resolve the cube's other restriction."

"What restriction?" The butterfly fluttered its wings, somewhat bewildered.

"As far as I know, Ms. Sophia, you should still have quite a few self-essence crystals stored away. I risked my life and death for your revenge plan, so asking you for a few self-essence crystals isn't too much to ask, right?"

The cube's three prayers all required consuming self-essence crystals. Regardless of whether he could become an alchemist or not, asking for a bit more mission reward was always the right move.

"Mr. Black Rabbit, we have already negotiated the reward beforehand. Raising the price at the last minute goes against our promise."

"Indeed, doing this is somewhat unprincipled. How about this, consider it a loan from you, and I can write you an IOU."

"..."

The butterfly completely stopped fluttering its wings. One could imagine that Sophia, who was controlling the self-essence butterfly, must have had a very colorful expression.

Could she say she wouldn't lend them? Sophia was still counting on Li Nanke to do the work; even if she didn't want to lend them, she had to.

Having handled Sophia, Li Nanke put away the cube.

Trying to take a shortcut to become an alchemist should be impossible, so the only way left was to resolve it through the Greater Other Shore.

According to the mechanism of the Greater Other Shore, the primary quality was like a profession or school of thought, while the special quality was similar to a skill. If one wanted to become an alchemist, one had to acquire the relevant primary and special qualities.

"Why does this feel like wrapping a whole dumpling just for a single drop of vinegar..."

What primary and special qualities the Greater Other Shore rewarded would not change based on Li Nanke's subjective will.

However, since such a prop had appeared in this taboo dream, it meant that a certain hidden node must contain primary or special qualities related to 'alchemy'.

He returned to the exhibition hall and saw the super-giant puppet 'War Machine' walking with a lurching, distorted gait, looking just like a toddler learning to walk.

"Relax, Carlo. Don't imagine that you're operating machinery; the sensor devices connected to your limbs will synchronize your movements. Just think of the War Machine as a magnified version of yourself."

"Oh, right, but how do I control those two mechanical tentacles on the back?"

"For that, you need to imagine that you have two phantom limbs..."

The mouth of the War Machine continuously opened and closed, alternating between Pinocchio's voice and Romeo's speaking.

Li Nanke could imagine the bromance picture of the two of them crammed into the cockpit.

"Romeo, let's discuss something."

The cockpit door on the chest of the War Machine opened, and Romeo drilled out from behind the puppet boy, jumping down from the super-giant puppet.

Several mechanical arms inside the cockpit were connected to Pinocchio's hands and feet. Whatever movements Pinocchio made would be fed back to the War Machine, causing the super-giant puppet to make the exact same movements.

This reminded Li Nanke of a movie from his past life called 《Pacific Rim》.

"You know Pinocchio can absorb the self-essence of other puppets to strengthen himself, right?"

Romeo raised an eyebrow, then nodded expressionlessly, not knowing what Li Nanke was up to.

"As the King of Puppets, you should be able to issue commands to many puppets and control them, right?"

"That's right." Romeo crossed his arms. "I can command them and issue a series of orders, but the orders cannot violate the Great Covenant, nor can they violate Geppetto's highest command."

Li Nanke smiled lightly: "I know you care about Pinocchio and gifted him the War Machine when you saw his strength was lacking. However, the War Machine is ultimately an external object, far less secure than having powerful strength of one's own."

"Am I right?"

Romeo immediately figured out what he was getting at.

"You want me to control those puppets and send them to Carlo's doorstep to help him improve his strength?"

Li Nanke gave a thumbs-up: "Talking to a smart person really saves effort."

"You were once a good friend of Pinocchio, and am I not his big brother too? I also want Pinocchio to become an independent powerhouse, which is why I've brought him along on this journey of battles, letting him defeat countless puppets to enhance his own strength."

Romeo looked at him suspiciously, his gaze complex, clearly not quite believing Li Nanke's words.

"To manufacture the War Machine, you sacrificed many puppets in the exhibition hall. This proves that you don't have much emotional attachment to puppets; deep down, you still consider yourself a human."

"Since you could sacrifice that many puppets to manufacture the War Machine, why can't you sacrifice another batch to let Pinocchio improve his strength as well?"

Romeo turned his head to look at his former friend who was operating the War Machine. Pinocchio's operational proficiency was improving at a speed visible to the naked eye; his talent in mechanical operation was indeed exceptionally outstanding.

It looked like with just half a day more of practice, Pinocchio would be able to completely master the War Machine.

The King of Puppets shook his head and said: "I didn't say I wasn't willing. I'm just doubting your motive for doing this."

"I can sense that you actually don't have much affection for Carlo. In your eyes, Carlo is just a tool... You don't need to deny it; you can't fool me!"

Li Nanke sneered: "Stop being so self-righteous. If you don't trust me, you can summon all the puppets over, and I will fight alongside Pinocchio."

"If you're still worried, you can supervise the battle from the side."

Romeo could find no reason to object. Doing this really would allow Pinocchio to improve his strength, which, whether for him or the puppet boy, was a good thing.

The King of Puppets pondered for a long time and finally nodded.

Li Nanke had gone to the City Hall Exposition without earning even half a drop of source energy. His primary quality 'Agony' was currently only at level four, and the special quality 'Fanaticism' hadn't even risen to level one.

Now that he had formed a non-aggression pact with Romeo, if he didn't make good use of the King of Puppets' ability to earn a massive amount of source energy to level up, wouldn't he be wasting such a great opportunity?