C13 The Alchemist Who Sold Fake Medicine

"Father, what's the deal with that young master? He just grabbed a piece of roast, sprinkled some salt on it, and took off. Vanished right before our eyes, too. Do you think he's one of those... you know?" Anna sat next to her father, cradling her chin in her hands, her gaze fixed on the bustling construction site at the village square. She turned to her father with her question.

Krod tenderly ran his fingers through Anna's red hair, which increasingly reminded him of his late wife, and let out a sigh. "Yes, he's a mysterious and powerful mage. But I must admit, I'm puzzled as to why his magic lacks the flash and bang that the other adults' magic has. He appears and disappears so abruptly. But what does it matter? As long as he's kind to us, that's all we need. In return, we must show our gratitude. Besides building him a mage's tower like the ones the adults have, we must also provide everything he might need."

"But we don't even know what he needs, apart from those beans and tobacco leaves. We don't know what else he likes. Oh, it's so frustrating not being able to communicate! And his eyes... they're so pure, not at all like those town boys and young lords who look at me in that... particular way."

Krod burst into laughter at her words. "People are different, Anna. Remember, not all noble children are bad. And of course, should you ever leave these mountains to make your way in the big cities, keep in mind that not all those from humble beginnings are trustworthy. Always be careful."

"Village Chief, Village Chief! I've brought a master back with me. Hurry, come greet him!" Allen's voice carried from a distance, breathless and loud enough for the whole village to hear.

Krod and Anna shifted their attention from the construction site to the village entrance. Allen had taken a few young men hunting; who could they have encountered? The title 'master' wasn't used lightly.

Soon after, a disheveled middle-aged man with golden hair and a large beard, carrying a huge metal box, entered Black Stone Village.

...

"Sorry, we're closed for the night. Come back tomorrow if you're looking to buy something."

Bao Guo yelled through the shop door. Judging by her voice, the woman outside was young and seemed quite attractive. Her soft, sweet tone brought to mind the voice actresses from R Country.

"Ah, excuse me, are you Mr. Bao Guo? I come with the utmost sincerity. Please, I implore you, grant me an audience."

Bao Guo, who was just about to turn back and retreat to his room, paused at the sound of the woman's desperate plea. "No, who are you? What business do you have with me at this late hour? I can't recall knowing any women."

Guibao, puffing on a cigarette in the courtyard, nearly choked on the smoke upon hearing her. Any other man would've been quick to open the door and invite such a voice in for a meal, but not Bao Guo. He left her standing outside, and with a single sentence, pushed her away as if slamming her into a wall.

"I—I am Luo Yuqiong, the chairwoman of China Toothpaste Factory. I—I've come because I heard—"

Before she could finish, the creaky door of the grocery store swung open. A tipsy Bao Guo, his face flushed, gazed at the stunning woman before him, momentarily at a loss for words.

Luo Yuqiong stood at about 1.65 meters, exuding an irresistible allure. She was the epitome of seduction, combining charm, delicacy, and elegance in one captivating package. Her bewitching eyes alone were enough to make men yearn to throw themselves at her feet.

Bao Guo shook his head, stepping aside, "Come in and let's talk—if you're brave enough to enter."

Peering into the pitch-black doorway, Luo Yuqiong swallowed hard and, gathering her courage, stepped into the grocery store.

"China Toothpaste Factory, huh? It's been years since I've seen your products. I remember your toothpaste being quite the hit in my youth. What's happened that you've been so quiet these past few years?" Bao Guo indicated a dark, dingy stool for Luo Yuqiong to sit on.

The flick of a switch bathed the cramped space in the dim glow of a hanging light, casting an oppressive atmosphere. Now, Luo Yuqiong could finally make out the man before her.

He was young, with a round face and a stout build that somehow conveyed a sense of reliability. His bulk didn't seem like excess weight; rather, it was the kind of heft that suggested strength.

"The situation is this: In recent years, major international brands have penetrated our market, and the competition among local toothpaste brands has become fierce. Our old factory is struggling to keep up with innovation and is on the brink of obsolescence. That's why I've come to you, in hopes of exploring a partnership."

"Oh? A partnership? Tell me, how do we go about this cooperation? And who gave you the information about me that led you to come directly to my door?"

Bao Guo regarded Luo Yuqiong with a leisurely gaze. Truth be told, the more he looked at her, the more enticing she became, like a perfectly ripe peach that inevitably led one's thoughts astray.

"The two brothers who previously bothered you were actually managers from our factory. They're of terrible character and loose-lipped. When they discovered the news about your miraculous medicine, it caused quite a stir in our country's domestic cosmetics industry. Others were skeptical, but I know their true nature all too well. So, I made haste to come here, day and night, pleading with you to give me a chance. I can't stand to see the company my father built fall to ruin."

In reality, Bao Guo was hardly paying attention to her words. He was struggling with the urge to nosebleed, distracted by the beauty who kept bowing as she spoke. Why did she have to bow so much? With such a low-cut blouse revealing so much, it was enough to send anyone with a deficiency into shock.

Unable to bear it any longer, Bao Guo brought out Guibao to take over the situation, claiming he needed to sleep, and then swiftly escaped to another world.

...

"Huh? This old man has been making gestures and babbling at me for ages. Is he trying to get me to drink this yellow potion?"

Bao Guo, who had materialized in the square of Black Stone Village, was taken to the home of Village Chief Krod. There, he encountered the eccentric and unkempt master. It took nearly fifteen minutes for the middle-aged man to reluctantly convince Bao Guo to drink the yellow concoction.

After Bao Guo downed the potion, the middle-aged man placed two stone slabs with small handprints before him and, without further ado, pressed Bao Guo's hands onto them. A refreshing sensation flowed from his palms to his brain, and suddenly, it was as if his mind was filled with a multitude of voices. It was like being half-asleep, surrounded by murmurs that were indistinct when he tried to listen closely, yet annoyingly loud when he didn't.

Bao Guo had no idea how much time had passed, but eventually, the numbness in his hands signaled that he had finally grasped the muffled voice echoing in his mind. It wasn't just the internal whispers he understood; the middle-aged man's speech was clear to him now.

"Can you understand me, my friend? Hey, hey, look over here. How many fingers am I holding up?"

The disheveled middle-aged man flashed two fingers at Bao Guo, who, out of irritation, snapped back, "Two, obviously. Now back off. Wait, who are you, anyway? What was that stuff you had me drink?"

"Ha! See? It's taking effect. I knew it would—I am the most brilliant and talented Alchemist, Hu—"

He was cut off by a loud gurgle from Bao Guo's stomach. Going pale, Bao Guo clutched his belly, jabbed a finger at the man, and spat out, "You quack! Selling fake potions. Just you wait..."

With that, he bolted. If he didn't make a run for it now, he'd have a real mess on his hands. That cursed alchemist had slipped him a laxative. But wait, how was he even conversing with the man?

There was no time to ponder. Bao Guo dashed for a towering flower bush in the village to take care of business. Meanwhile, the Alchemist calmly examined a trinket, seemingly biding his time until Bao Guo's return.