NOVEL NEXT Chapter 172: Academic Exchange
"This piece of Golden Equipment... should be Peak Golden Equipment, slightly better than my [Spider Demon Dominator Shield]. Of course, the Spider Demon Tower Shield, as Demon Ghost Equipment, has the potential for further evolution, which the Chainsaw Sword cannot compare to."
Bai Pu saw the requirement of 30 points in Basic Power and Endurance and could only sigh with longing. His current Basic Power is 9 points short, and Basic Endurance is 3 points short as well.
Even using Pure Blood Protection to enhance his power and gain 7 Free Attributes doesn't meet the equipment requirements.
Only by using both talents: Genetic Fragment and Pure Blood Protection together might he meet the standard.
Bai Pu put away the Chainsaw Sword and finally checked that task item.
[Noel's Old Pocket Watch: Task Item. Using this item will trigger a side quest.]
Currently, Bai Pu's main focus is still on completing the job transfer task, and he may not have the energy to take on this side quest.
But this side quest seems to point to an Alchemist named Noel! It might even be helpful for Bai Pu's job transfer task.
Bai Pu weighed the options and decided to directly use the task item, activating the quest.
Side quests are generally without penalties, unlike mainline quests.
If the task is too cumbersome and impacts Bai Pu's job transfer quest, he can just discard it, as the job transfer task is the top priority right now.
[You've used the task item: Noel's Old Pocket Watch.]
[Silver Side Task: Hidden Truth Activated.]
[Task Name: Hidden Truth]
[Task Objective: Head to Kalmar Fortress to find Alchemy Master Noel.]
[Task Difficulty: B-level (Silver Side Task)]
[Task Time Limit: None (Equivalent to your remaining stay in this dimension)]
[Task Reward: Unknown]
[Failure Penalty: None]
Seeing the task's objective and difficulty, Bai Pu furrowed his brows.
Silver side tasks are about two levels more challenging than ordinary tasks.
In other words, this B-level silver side quest might even be equivalent to an S-level ordinary side task.
And there's a reason for this.
Kalmar Fortress, located in the Kalmar Region along Sweden's southeastern coast, is a strategic gateway, heavily guarded by Blood Ring Fortress troops!
For the first battle choice of the Divine Luo Expeditionary Army First Legion, Kalmar Fortress was considered, but Legion Commander Cwieg opted for the less defended Malmo City instead.
If Bai Pu wants to undertake this silver side task, he must disguise himself and infiltrate the enemy camp alone.
He could also persuade Cwieg or Duke William to attack Kalmar Fortress, but relying on the native forces might alter the task's difficulty unpredictably; Noel could escape before the siege or perish during the battle.
This task must be postponed. Disguising and infiltrating Kalmar Fortress and seeking Noel with a hidden identity is not something done in one or two days.
First, he must complete the mainline quest phase one, "Intelligence Gathering." Once he sees Duke William and triggers the second phase of the mainline quest, he can proceed slowly.
Bai Pu, without rest for a full day and night, had just battled fiercely with the Blood Mist Butcher, exhausting most of his resources. He handed Mad Rhino Luz a bottle of Emergency First Aid Ointment for self-application and rode back to Malmo City.
...
Malmo City, the former Blood Ring Alchemy Laboratory, now Quinn's Alchemy Laboratory.
After bathing and a brief two-hour nap, Bai Pu appeared before Quinn.
"You actually managed to kill the Blood Mist Butcher!"
Quinn marveled, "I thought you'd ask me to assist you."
Bai Pu certainly wouldn't say that asking Quinn for help would decrease his task evaluation, so he simply smiled and replied, "Got lucky, Blood Ring was already planning to capture the Blood Mist Butcher, and developed a formula for an Inert Potion to counter his speed."
"Huh, yet another Flesh and Blood Alchemy Formula I'm unaware of? Aimed at the First Generation Mutants?"
Quinn adjusted her monocle, her watery eyes gleamed, and she snaked her voluptuous body closer, "Mr. Dior, teach me."
Thus began a deep yet straightforward academic exchange.
Lady Qin seemed a devout believer of some faith, continually invoking the name of her deity throughout their half-hour academic discussion. Occasionally she emitted certain nonsensical monosyllabic sounds, making her devotion appear less sincere.
...
"I'm sorry, Mr. Dior and Lady Qin are currently engaged in academic exchange; you cannot enter."
The Expedition Guard dutifully prevented Blood Spider from entering.
With low Perception, the guards certainly couldn't detect the commotion in the top-floor alchemy lab, located several meters above ground-level.
"Hey, you're back!"
Bai Pu poked his head out of the top floor window, only to be pulled back inside by a slender, delicate arm.
Blood Spider remained unfazed, took out a notebook, and jotted down a four-character phrase, then waited idly, occasionally kicking pebbles on the roadside.
Just as Blood Spider kicked away the 101st stone, the alchemy tower doors finally opened, and Bai Pu emerged.
"Academic exchange?" Blood Spider scrutinized Bai Pu.
Bai Pu confidently said, "I taught Quinn a very useful alchemy formula. She's going to expand on this formula and strive to uncover broader applications."
Blood Spider hesitantly erased the four characters she had just written down.
"How's the intelligence gathering? Any signs of the First Generation Mutants found?" Bai Pu asked.
"In the past two days, Scouts have probed those three Blood Ring-controlled areas as per your instructions. Since they dare not go deep into Blood Ring-controlled manor houses, they haven't gathered much intel on the First Generation Mutant creatures."
Blood Spider said, "However, I did locate a Blood Ring-controlled manor, and after killing an elite, I obtained an Observation Log from their treasure chest."
Bai Pu received the Observation Log.
[Observation Log of the Signa District: Crimson Wings]
"Excellent, thanks."
Bai Pu, adhering to the principle of equivalent exchange, immediately said, "As thanks, I can show you how to discover the value of this Observation Log... if you'd like."
Blood Spider remained open-minded and nodded right away.
Bai Pu produced the [Observation Log of the Ista District] and explained how to calculate First Generation Mutant's appearance patterns using the data from the Observation Logs, then said:
"Blood Ring is also capturing these powerful First Generation Mutants, and these Observation Logs are their preliminary preparation work. At the Flesh Factory in the Ista District, I also obtained an inert potion that can significantly weaken the Blood Mist Butcher's abilities."
"You've already killed the Blood Mist Butcher?!" Blood Spider's mask obscured any expression, leaving only her widened eyes.
"The Blood Mist Butcher's body is in Quinn's alchemy lab."
Blood Spider examined Bai Pu up and down, feeling her worldview collapse somewhat. Her perception of Bai Pu was still back in the Three Kingdoms: Chibi scenario.
During her sudden ambush at that time, Bai Pu was utterly defenseless, had he not been cunning enough to have Gan Ning and two sub-officers laying in ambush, her title as top student in the college entrance exams would have been assuredly hers!
Meanwhile, Blood Mist Butcher is a Level 6 Enhanced Leader! She considered herself incapable of soloing him.
It felt akin to a marathon race where Blood Spider thought she was far ahead, only to be informed she's nearly being lapped—a case of the "Black man question mark face.jpg"