Mechanical Alchemist

"Sister Qian Tiao, ah... this... Mr. Su Lun's body, it won't have any problems, right?"

"This kid probably hasn't touched a woman in a long time, a normal reaction. Hehe, even unconscious he can't behave. Now it's up to you, Princess."

"Ah? Up to me? I... I don't know how to…"

"If you don't know, then forget it, just leave him dirty. Anyway, this guy is tough-skinned, being a bit dirty won't hurt him."

"But Mr. Su Lun's injuries are very serious, they must be dealt with immediately..."

"Well, then there's no helping it, I'm not good at treating injuries, at most I can administer a potion."

"Then... then... I will try."

"..."

In a daze, Su Lun seemed to hear Qian Tiao and the Princess talking, and then a pair of soft hands were cleaning his body and tending to his wounds.

The movements were meticulous but slightly awkward and clumsy, it seemed she had never done this sort of serving before.

Su Lun wanted to open his eyes to see, but he was in terrible shape.

After successfully reviving Qian Tiao and the Princess, the strong belief that had been sustaining him relaxed, and he didn't have a single thought left, only wanting to sleep comfortably.

And he fell asleep.

This sleep was very long, and his dreams were filled with all kinds of monsters.

Having been infected with too much netherworldly energy, the dreams he had were all nightmares.

Su Lun could distinguish between dreams and reality, but even so, he didn't want to wake up.

His body was too weary, and it needed rest too badly.

...

He did not know how much time had passed.

Su Lun felt his brain was finally willing to reconnect with the body that would flood him with intense signals of pain, numbness, ache, itchiness... all sorts of negative sensations as soon as the connection was made. Stay updated through My Virtual Library Empire

Though he still felt like after a heavy workout with delayed onset muscle soreness, it was much better now.

He moved his fingers and immediately heard an excited chirp by his ear.

"Sister Qian Tiao, Mr. Su Lun seems to have woken up!"

"Hmm."

Then, he heard the sound of two women letting out a sigh of relief in unison.

Su Lun slowly opened his eyes.

He saw two faces very close, blinking... in Qian Tiao's eyes was a look of relief, while the Princess's eyes seemed to twinkle with stars of anticipation.

Seeing the somewhat exotic temperament between his brows, Qian Tiao inquired with concern, "Su Lun?"

Being awake didn't mean there were no other issues.

Su Lun's gaze focused as he looked around, it was no longer the cave of the bear he remembered, but it seemed he was still outdoors.

After pondering for a moment, it was as if he re-claimed the ability to speak and asked, "Where is this?"

Qian Tiao replied, "It's Tea Crying Mountain in Izumo, the cliff hot spring we found last time."

Qian Tiao and the Princess weren't foolish, seeing that Su Lun was reviving them in a wild mountain cave, they realized the situation was complicated. The "Death Novel" space of curse was controlled by the Takeda Shogunate; seeing Su Lun's condition they guessed that acquiring the novel must have involved a dangerous and arduous battle.

Now, with the Mountain Hermit's situation unclear and without understanding what had happened, any possible exposure of their whereabouts could be a fatal threat.

So, they decided not to rashly contact anyone before Su Lun woke up.

They could only get as far away from Edo Castle as possible, changing locations several times, and just so happened to arrive at Tea Crying Mountain they had passed before.

In order not to attract attention, they even avoided visiting Granny's Soup House and instead pitched a tent directly on the cliff.

It was only then that Su Lun came to realize.

The view here was very open, as if it was halfway up the mountain.

He then asked, "How long have I been unconscious?"

Qian Tiao answered, "Two days."

"Oh."

Hearing this, Su Lun's mind gradually recalled the events of the past few days.

Seeing his slightly bewildered state, the Princess beside him also asked with concern, "Mr. Su Lun, how do you feel now? Your body showed signs of 'turning into a ghost,' and the injuries were very serious..."

"I'm fine now. No immediate danger to my life."

Su Lun responded.

He sensed his body, the injuries were mostly healed. However, the degree of "anomaly" had deepened on his status panel.

Hearing this, Qian Tiao interjected, "In the past two days, you've had a high fever and sweated profusely, and it was the Princess who took care of you, changing your clothes and wiping your body."

Upon hearing this, Su Lun looked at the Princess whose expression was a bit reserved and said gratefully, "Thank you, Princess."

Having such a pampered royal serving him, just the attitude and intention alone was quite astonishing.

The Princess seemed to think of something, unable to meet his gaze, "Compared to what Mr. Su Lun has done, what I did was just a trivial matter."

She was well aware that acquiring the novel as well as the revival of the deceased must not have been easy, and that Su Lun must have paid a high price.

...

Su Lun struggled to squeeze a smile out of his stiff facial muscles, just as he tried to sit up, he realized his body was too stiff to manage it.

The state of "Hormonal Rampage" had put a great strain on his body, and even now, his muscles had not recovered.

Seeing this, the Princess quickly stepped forward to help him up.

Chitajo knew that Su Lun's body had been polluted by absorbing an excessive amount of ghost energy in the Netherworld.

A deep concern surfaced on her face as she furrowed her brows and said, "I found that your body seems to be 'mutated,' and the situation looks rather bleak. The Princess can do nothing but use a secret technique to temporarily suppress the spread of the ghost energy..."

As she spoke, she gave Su Lun a glance and said seriously, "We must think of a solution as soon as possible."

Physical mutation was no small matter. Based on the Princess's examination, Su Lun could become a "ghost" at any moment, which posed a life-threatening risk.

Su Lun, knowing she cared about his condition, nodded and said directly, "I know someone who should be able to handle the mutation issue. As long as I can hold out until we reach Hastelin in Pirate City, the problem with my body should be resolved."

Everyone who came out of Old Lington was aware of the horror of mutation, and fearing that he was just toughing it out, Chitajo pressed further, "Is there anyone else who can resolve the mutation?"

"Yes."

Looking at her, Su Lun gave a slight smile and truthfully said, "I encountered Dr. Banks, the lead scientist of 'Project X' before. Oh, he's little Danny's father."

"Didn't the Banks couple die in a laboratory accident?"

Chitajo's face lit up with joy.

If it was that person, there was indeed a possibility!@@novelbin@@

"No. He was lucky enough to survive that laboratory accident. He's now hiding in the Northern Fleet."

Su Lun knew he couldn't explain everything in a few words, so he didn't elaborate further, and added, "That's why I need to leave Mountain Hermit as soon as possible and find Dr. Banks."

"Right!"

Chitajo also felt this was an urgent matter and said solemnly, "This is Izumo, the last major city from Mountain Hermit to the sea. If there's a ship setting sail, we'll find out right away here. However, due to Mountain Hermit's situation, the number of ships leaving has decreased greatly. We may have to wait a day or two."

They had chosen to head south previously considering the possibility of an escape by sea in case they were pursued.

After thinking it over, Su Lun said, "A delay of a few days should still be okay."

The current situation in Mountain Hermit was complicated; having a ship available for the sea was already fortunate.

The Princess, of course, could not show herself, even if her Shinfuku family still had some hidden methods at their disposal.

If all else failed, they could still contact Abe Yasukazu and use the Kasios family's channels to set sail.

The problem didn't seem too large.

After expressing concern for Su Lun's physical condition and finding hope for a solution, the heavy concern in Chitajo's brows finally eased completely.

She then asked, "By the way, what exactly happened before? Didn't we die in the Netherworld? How did we come back to life?"

The curious Princess, with large eyes, also looked over.

Hearing their inquiries, Su Lun took a deep breath and said, "This starts with the novel written by Fujiwara Hayato..."

...

"Princess, you were at Cangshan Shrine... and Chitajo, you delivered that final blow..."

Before long, Su Lun recounted the whole experience of seeing through the curse space, and the subsequent fight with Ote Himeya after emerging.

Chitajo and the Princess were stunned by Su Lun's near-death experience.

Only then did they learn that so much had happened afterward.

However, when it came to the price Su Lun paid for their revival, he glossed over it, "Later, in that cave, I just brought you back to life..."

Although he didn't spell it out, it didn't mean the two women couldn't guess.

Battles and the like were secondary. Since they had come back to life, the outcome was already more than satisfactory.

Chitajo directly asked, "What method did you use to revive us?"

Su Lun looked at her and responded indifferently, "I offered my soul to a demon."

Chitajo's expression darkened upon hearing this.

The Princess became very serious as well.

Su Lun fully understood the guilt of living by burdening someone else's life, and he didn't want the two women to feel the same way, so he said with a relaxed demeanor, "It's no big deal. Based on some information provided by Fujiwara Hayato, I speculate that the 'demon' of the contract holder is likely existing in a special higher plane. He won't demand I fulfill the contract until I'm powerless. Once I have the power, I will inevitably want to explore the divine planes anyway. Considering that I can see you both again, it's not too terrible a price to pay."

Chitajo stayed silent.

The Princess did as well.

The three had entrusted their lives to one another, so naturally, they could understand this kind of sacrifice.

But the deed was done, and there was no use in discussing it further.

Seeing the atmosphere turning somewhat somber, Su Lun shifted away from the topic and said, "By the way, when I captured Ote Himeya, I also found a mirror. It might be one of the three Holy Artifacts of Mountain Hermit, the 'Yata Mirror.' Princess, would you like to have a look?"

Upon hearing this, the Princess's expression changed with surprise, "The Yata Mirror?"

The three Holy Artifacts had long disappeared into the annals of history, with the legendary Illusion Technique treasure last appearing eight hundred years ago.

She had not expected it to reappear in the world.

Her bright eyes moved, and she then said, "If it really is the 'Yata Mirror,' it would explain why Ote Himeya could affect the entirety of Edo during the Black Sun. The legend says that if the mirror is powered by strong enough Divine Power, it could even plunge all the humans in the world into an illusion."

That powerful?

It was naturally something she wanted to see for herself.

Hearing this, Su Lun also felt fortunate that he had not hesitated during the battle and had not given Ote Himeya a chance to use the mirror.

He cautioned, "I heard that even a single glance at the mirror can trap you in an illusion. Can I take it out now?"

The Princess nodded and said, "It's just perfect that our Iga Shrine has secretly passed down the techniques to use the Three Divine Artifacts. And my divine power of Amaterasu can restrain some of the infinite Illusion Techniques of the Yata Mirror."

"Oh."

Previously, Su Lun alone, he did not dare to take this thing out, lest if he fell into an illusion, there would be no one else to help him out of it.

Now that he had the Princess, an expert, by his side, Su Lun no longer had any reservations. He and Chitose both closed their eyes before he took out the tightly sealed mirror.

The Princess took it over and immediately recognized it, barely concealing her shock: "It really is the Yata Mirror!"

Really?

Su Lun didn't know what was happening; he just felt a surge of divine power emanating from the Princess, as hot as the sun's flames.

He did not open his eyes out of curiosity but asked, "How is it?"

The Princess sounded clearly excited, "I can control it temporarily. Mr. Su Lun, Sister Chitose, you can open your eyes now."

Upon hearing this, Su Lun breathed a sigh of relief and opened his eyes to see that the Princess had completely sealed the mirror with her own talisman papers.

This was the first time Su Lun had actually seen what it looked like since acquiring the object.

It was a bronze mirror about the size of a face, with very simple engravings, and one could immediately sense the endless years it had witnessed. Because it was sealed with talisman papers, it looked quite ordinary.

Su Lun took a look and agreed it was as the legends described, capable of making someone lose themselves in an illusory world forever.

But this was also similar to the Holy Artifact of the Dalu tribe; only a specific divine power could use it. To anyone else, it was just a peculiar mirror that could trap people indefinitely.

He became even more curious: how could Ote Himeya, this artificially created being, use it?

Su Lun noticed the hardly concealed joy in the Princess's eyes.

It had always been the divine mandate of the Shinfuku family to recover the lost Three Divine Artifacts.

He directly said, "You might as well keep the mirror, Princess. It is an Artifact of Mountain Hermit, and others can't use it anyway."

Since the Princess was capable of using it, that was for the best, and it could also give her more ability to protect herself.

The Princess was slightly surprised and flattered, and after thinking about what polite words to say, she softly uttered two words: "Thank you."

The experiences in the Netherworld had eliminated any awkwardness between them.

They were both people who could trust each other with their lives.

With Shinfuku Mitsuko present, they could have brought "Ote Himeya" out from the space to interrogate her and learn the truth about everything.

But after discussing it, they decided not to dare to do so.

Now knowing that Ote Himeya could also use the Yata Mirror, the sudden appearance of the "Lunar Reading Deity" was definitely related to her!

If they were to release her, it could lead to some unpredictable consequences.

Su Lun planned to wait until they had left Mountain Hermit before figuring out what to do.

With the behind-the-scenes manipulator taken away, the situation in Mountain Hermit should improve a lot.

...

Although their recent experience in the Netherworld could be described as a close brush with death, in the end, they all survived.

That was the most ideal outcome.

The three of them chatted and laughed, talking about many things.

Suddenly, Su Lun's stomach growled, and he looked at the other two, a bit embarrassed: "I'm a little hungry."

Although he had injected nutrient fluids, his stomach's emptiness intensely signaled that he needed some steaming food to fill it.

But now he was half a cripple, with no ability to take care of himself.

The Princess at his side, hearing this, took the initiative to say, "I'll get us something to eat."

With that, she skillfully took out some instant canned food, set up a stove, and soon the aroma of meat and alcohol began to fill the air.

Before long, they had eaten their fill, and as the sky became dark, the three lay in the tent, gazing leisurely at the stars outside.

There was no pursuit here, and this was not the Netherworld...

Time seemed to slow down.

Chitose purposely chose to lie on the far left. In doing so, whether Su Lun or the Princess slept in the middle, they would end up next to each other.

Su Lun knew this was probably Chitose's little mischief. But since he was currently "half-disabled" and couldn't take care of himself, he didn't want to make a fuss and felt quite content to sleep in the middle. The Princess was on the left.

Thankfully, they had previously been in a similar situation in a dilapidated temple in the Netherworld, so the atmosphere felt fine.

As none of them felt sleepy, they started chatting.

The situation in Mountain Hermit had almost reached a conclusion, with the former "Sun Emperor" a thing of the past, and the Shinfuku family nearly wiped out.

With the command of the "Lunar Reading Deity," Takeda Nobuyasu had swiftly settled the chaos, and the current situation in Mountain Hermit was even more stable than before.

This left Shinfuku Mitsuko, a royal princess and Saio, in a very awkward position.

Since Su Lun's physical aberration required them to leave Mountain Hermit, the Princess's future became an issue.

As the night deepened, clouds drifted across the sky, concealing the moonlight, and the light suddenly dimmed.

In the tent, Chitose asked, "Princess, are you really not going to leave with us? The situation in Mountain Hermit is tough. If you stay, your position might be very bad."

In the darkness, the Princess's tone was firm as she replied, "Even though the royal family is no more, the Shinfuku family still needs me. Besides, as a miko of the Iga Shrine, I can't leave..."

"..."

Su Lun was listening quietly and also discerned the heavy responsibility carried by the Princess.

She represented not only herself, but also her status as a royal princess and the Shinto lineage of the sun goddess Amaterasu.

Some burdens can't simply be thrown away with a word.

With royal power being seen as divinely granted, even their Shinfuku family had no choice but to acknowledge the "Moon Emperor." Although it seemed like there might be something fishy about it, it was for this exact reason that the Princess, as the ninety-ninth Zaio, had to take on the great task of investigating the truth behind it all.

Fortunately, now that one of the three Divine Artifacts, the "Yata Mirror," has been found again, her ability to protect herself is nothing short of strong, so there's not much need to worry.

Chitose understood this too and didn't keep persuading her.

All she did was whisper softly, "Some people, once you miss out on them, you really have missed out."

As soon as these words were spoken, the tent fell into a brief silence.

The Princess was no longer the young maiden who would blush red at the slightest tease.

After pondering for a moment, she actually responded, albeit in a soft voice, "When my tenure is over... I might come to find you, and then... we can go on an adventure together. Chitose, and Mr. Su Lun, take care too."

"Sure!"

Hearing this, Chitose's smile brightened. Suddenly, she turned to the side, reaching over Su Lun to pat the Princess and added, "I told you a long time ago, after meeting this guy, the idea of serving the way of the gods for life... that wasn't going to happen anymore."

Upon hearing this, the Princess also remembered that she had once said something like that, and couldn't help but smile a little.

Now it seemed that she really was entertaining the thought of wavering.

She had intended to cover her own minor embarrassment with silence.

But perhaps she felt that after this parting, it would likely be a long time before they would see each other again.

Or perhaps,

Just like the story of Fujiwara Hayato and Miss Natasha in the books.

A parting in life could really mean never seeing each other again.

A wave of sadness suddenly rose in the Princess's heart, and she boldly responded, "It's certainly related to Mr. Su Lun. But most importantly, I want to go on an adventure with you and Chitose as well."

With that said, the darkness concealed the faint blush that appeared on the Princess's lovely face.

Su Lun didn't think there was anything amiss with the Princess's words.

But because Chitose was leaning over to the side, her whole body was almost pressing down on him. This pressure made Su Lun feel his arm sinking into extreme softness. Since the pajamas were thin, the feeling was very real, a bone-melting delicacy that was endlessly memorable.

Moreover, Chitose's movements were quite significant, the large patches of skin in contact, and even the subtle details of their soft bodies, were distinctly felt.

Normally such physical contact wouldn't disrupt Su Lun's control over his thoughts. It wouldn't be a problem.

But now his body had become deformed, and that "demonic energy" made some of his emotions completely uncontrollable.

Chitose listened to the Princess's reply and "giggled" with a laugh, not seeing through everything.

She was about to pull her hand back, but suddenly, as her hand brushed over Su Lun's body, she also sensed something unusual.

"Eh..."

With a light exclamation, she discerned the anomaly.

In the darkness, her eyes suddenly glowed.

Being straightforward and never mincing her words, she blurted out immediately: "Hey hey hey, Su Lun, can't you hold yourself together a bit? Isn't this embarrassing...?"

His awkward situation exposed, Su Lun felt a bit sheepish and could only admit truthfully, "I can't control it. My body has become distorted."

"..."

Hearing this, Chitose seemed to fall silent all at once, seemingly contemplating it.

The Princess didn't yet grasp what the other two were talking about; she was still immersed in the previous conversation.

Suddenly, Chitose spoke up again.

With a very understanding look, she grumbled, "You kid haven't touched a woman in a long time, have you? I can understand that, but..."

Chitose, who came from the gangsters, had seen all kinds of pleasure houses.

After a pause, she continued, "But don't let your mind wander. I'm not interested in men. If you really want to, go ask the Princess to help you."

Listening to this, Su Lun was quite helpless, answering stiffly, "Ah... Chitose, you really don't hold back with your words."

Could someone really say something so blunt?

Yet his body was honest, completely uncontrollable.

Chitose didn't mind in the slightest, her tone casual as she said, "Tssk—what's there to be embarrassed about? The Princess has been taking care of you these past few days, she's already seen all of your embarrassing moments."

"..."

At this, Su Lun's face was streaked with lines of embarrassment.

The Princess, on the other hand, had already blushed red with shame, and didn't dare to join in.

Help...?

The darkness concealed the pink blush that spread to her neck.

As if not caring at all, Chitose kept on chattering, "But speaking of which, Princess, your figure is really top-notch. Don't you think so, Su Lun? You saw during the Kagura dance. I've been telling you to give it a try..."

Su Lun: "..."

The Princess: "..."

The three had shared the same space many times before, but this was the first time the atmosphere in the tent felt a bit unusual.