Chapter 290: Scatter, Scatter

Chapter 290: Scatter, Scatter

As a dragon accompanied by a little Loli, Zheng Yichen felt he was a life winner among the Dragon Clan. But for those large lizards, they probably cared more about Mother Dragons… or perhaps the other party’s wealth?

This was undeniable. Dragons in this world also seemed to like treasures. Although not to an extremely fanatical degree, they definitely wouldn’t just watch treasures slip away if they could get their hands on them. Even a bit of risk was worth it… Well, at least, that’s how it appeared in the biographies Zheng Yichen had read.

And that stuff had been around for hundreds of years, seeming slightly more reliable.

The next day, Zheng Yichen started rummaging through his inventory. Loris, still in her pajamas, opened her eyes and saw him pulling things from his Personal Space. She gently rubbed the corners of her eyes and sat up. “Looking for something?”

“Materials for the Alchemical Avatar,” Zheng Yichen replied without turning his head.

“… A new Witch?”

“No, it’s for you.”

“I don’t need one temporarily,” she shook her head.

“Don’t say that. My attention is never fully here. You must get bored alone.” Zheng Yichen wasn’t foolish enough to believe Loris truly had no needs just because she said so.

Since he could spare the time to make one now, he shouldn’t wait. He drew three character portraits and laid them before Loris. “Pick which look you want.”

“Not the ones with wings,” Loris said bluntly, examining the portraits. Wings themselves belonged to Alien Races. Adding them to an Alchemical Avatar would just waste materials and get a “bored and idle” tag slapped on it. Thinking for a moment, she spread her small hand. A crack to her Personal Space appeared in her palm, and a pile of new materials tumbled out.

Though Zheng Yichen had some savings now, they were hard-won. There was no need to deplete his reserves. After all, his hoard was largely negligible compared to a Witch’s.

“Uh,” Zheng Yichen shrugged, looking at the new materials. He didn’t stubbornly insist he didn’t need them. With his current materials, he could indeed craft a decent Alchemical Puppet, but he lacked reserves of extremely unique materials, which the Witches could casually pull out several of.

So, Zheng Yichen put away the portraits of the “Eldest Miss Remi” and the “Second Miss Flan,” keeping only the “Third Miss Rumi”… Why all Lolis? To save materials, obviously! Besides, Loris looked like a Loli now; making a mature figure seemed out of place.

Once the appearance was decided, he got to work. He’d made several Alchemical Avatars already. He wasn’t clumsy like the first time. With materials ready, finishing it wouldn’t take long. Stuff like Flesh Stone didn’t need adding now.

Just as Zheng Yichen prepared to start, an Alchemical Puppet reported — the elevator was activated! Zheng Yichen had warning measures set on the elevator. Entering it normally wouldn’t trigger an alarm. He hadn’t told Dan Marina about it, yet somehow she’d figured it out.

This time, it triggered a warning. Had someone been lucky enough to accidentally start it? That made no sense… The entrance was meticulously protected — magical locks, physical barriers. No lucky coincidence could bypass that… Unless one used the right method and necessary power.

In the elevator, Annie looked curiously at the tunnel speeding past outside. She gently tapped the elevator floor with her foot. “Engineering? I don’t recall anyone with this style.”

“Before? No. Now you see it,” Dan Marina had used the elevator many times and was used to its operation. This time, though, it seemed Zheng Yichen had upgraded it, adding shock absorption. No more the intense vibrations of the past.

“That dragon… has big problems, doesn’t he?” Annie pondered before speaking.

Dan Marina winked with her left eye. “Well, speculation is speculation. Everything needs to stay classified.”

Cursed Dragons… If Zheng Yichen’s identity leaked, it wouldn’t just be the Sanctuary Church to deal with. At least the Sanctuary Church acted considering the bigger picture. The Dragon Clan? Their motto was “Kill first, check later (if non-clan)” for Cursed Dragons. That would be the real disaster.

The only escape? Zheng Yichen gaining power to overwhelm or cripple the entire Dragon Clan! Though the Dragon Clan hated Cursed Dragons, they wouldn’t risk extinction tackling one. As for past actions? Those low-quality Cursed Dragons, relying on their own hidden strengths, were no match for the Dragon Clan’s full force. Under that condition, the Dragon Clan slaughtered without holding back.

“You… really brought her,” Zheng Yichen crossed his arms, a book pinched in his right hand. His eye twitched rhythmically as he watched the two women — one tall, one short — step out. Behind him stood a large group of fully-armed Alchemical Puppets, the pinnacle of his recent work, weapons included. And those Ghost Maids mixed in… Uh, well, comparatively, they were a little stronger still.

“Heh~ Quite the welcoming party?” Dan Marina exited the elevator first, surveying the Alchemical Puppets behind Zheng Yichen. Hmm… Not too many, just over two hundred. But their combined might could easily crush minor nations or weaker medium-sized countries — no ambush needed, just head-on!

“Rarely get guests. Gotta greet them properly,” Zheng Yichen waved behind him. He tilted his head slightly, inwardly cursing. This woman was definitely doing it on purpose. She’d hidden herself so well coming here, even blocking the surveillance. Unable to see inside the elevator, Zheng Yichen had urgently mobilized puppets he didn’t plan to use.

If the surveillance hadn’t come back online just before the doors opened, the first things greeting the occupants would have been over two hundred gun barrels usable as hand cannons, plus an “Unlimited Magic Arms System” upgraded by Irene. Firing at max, it would be like her casting Magic herself. With enough Mana supply, even a Witch would need to think twice!

“… You’re strange,” Annie, silent until now, stared at Zheng Yichen for a long moment before speaking. This dragon was truly weird. His Soul and body matched perfectly, flawless. But why could she feel not a trace of Dragon’s Aura?

After discovering and blocking the corridor’s surveillance, she’d purposely created an intrusion atmosphere. Zheng Yichen’s gathered puppets were proof. Even moments before the door opened, Annie detected faint Mana ripples. Zheng Yichen, briefly entering combat readiness, should have unconsciously leaked a sliver of Dragon’s Aura then, even if hiding it. Yet… absolutely zero residue!

“Well, watch all you like. I have work to finish. Scatter, scatter.” Zheng Yichen noticed Loris no longer hiding her presence. He waved at the puppets behind him and muttered, heading towards the Laboratory. What a rhythm-ruiner… Witch business? Let the Witches handle it themselves for now, he needed to rush!

The slight delay didn’t cost him much time. In just over three days, he finished the Alchemical Avatar. Without matters in Kaja needing attention, he could have made it faster. “Hmm~ Sure you don’t want me to dye the hair black?”

Zheng Yichen examined his creation, asking Loris beside him.

“No need to alter your creation’s original look,” Loris shook her head. When Zheng Yichen drew the portrait, this was the look. The original “design” was clearly set, so changes were unnecessary. “It’s very good like this.”

“Alright then, finishing the final touches.” Zheng Yichen nodded, quickly completing the last steps, finalizing the Alchemical Avatar. “Wanna try it?”

Loris shook her head — this wasn’t trying on clothes. Extending a finger, she tapped the Alchemical Avatar’s forehead. Under her control, it became animated, locking eyes with her real self. Controlling an Avatar to stare at oneself… Zheng Yichen had done that too — a peculiar sensation. That “I-am-you-you-are-me,” ultimately staring at oneself… It got dizzying after a while.

“It’s good,” Loris said. She gave a light wave. With the Alchemical Avatar, she didn’t need clothes made of Zheng Yichen’s Scales to worry about leaking her power or affecting the surroundings. Barring someone whose power specifically countered it, the books wouldn’t be exposed.

With defenses in place, even Witches like the Undying Witch or the Witch of Life Annie couldn’t tell it was fake without direct contact. Same-level beings could greatly interfere with each other’s senses, after all.

“Let’s go then. To Kaja.”

Irene was at the Kaja residence. As long as Loris’s Avatar stayed there unseen, she wouldn’t be exposed. Yet upon arriving, Dan Marina, seemingly having waited ages, brightened slightly at seeing Loris. “Yo~ So you finally use an Alchemical Avatar too.”

“Got a problem?” Loris asked Dan Marina expressionlessly. Zheng Yichen scratched his head, suddenly feeling maybe he shouldn’t have used those specific character appearances… This one had an intelligence of nine plus one…

“None at all! Your presence adds liveliness. Know this place only has me, a real person, staying daily. Gets a bit lonely.” Dan Marina lowered her head, looking at her fingers, her tone laced with loneliness. But her expression clearly said: lie. Loris outright ignored her.

After asking for Irene’s room location, Loris immediately set off to find her. Leaving, she threw an extra glance at Dan Marina. Zheng Yichen felt a bit guilty.

“Why guilt? That Saintess from The Church visited for you again. I handled it.”

No wonder he felt the Avatar’s position a bit different when assuming control earlier! So it had been used. “What about?”

“A few Ancient Elixir Formulas and a batch of materials. Consider it an early investment. Need to do it beautifully. Otherwise, the Sanctuary Church won’t be so generous next time. The consequences then, you know.”

“I don’t!” Zheng Yichen rolled his eyes. He hated these insinuating half-sentences the most.

“If you don’t prove value worthy of their serious attention, plus your contact with Witches… Even if they don’t forcibly take you away, expect heavy monitoring.”

“Contact? Couldn’t phrase it better?” Zheng Yichen picked up the Magic Potion formulas Dan Marina produced. The recordings on these formulas, due to their Ancient Era origins, were incomplete. The worst missing half its note… And they were all high-level.

High-level materials were fewer in variety than low-level Magic Potion materials but far harder to synthesize. Their value was extreme. One failed attempt equaled the loss of hundreds, even thousands, of failures testing low-level formulas. Failure wasn’t scrapping a few materials; it meant total loss of everything used!

So testing one by one? Nonsense! Unless a formula missed only one material record, then maybe gamble luck and money. Missing three or four? Even with professional Magic Pharmacists analyzing and suggesting possible missing ingredients, crafting remained a massive drain on funds.

“Fits perfectly, doesn’t it? At least in their eyes, contact with me looks exactly like that,” Dan Marina countered.

“How they see it is their business… Forget it. I’ll study these formulas properly. Hah, quite the audacity, starting with high-difficulty stuff!” Zheng Yichen scratched his head, troubled as he looked at the formulas. Six incomplete formulas — four were high-level, products belonging to high-end items. The remaining two were middle-level.

He hefted an Expansion Pouch beside him. Heavy. Opening it, his understanding of the Sanctuary Church’s “sponsorship” grew. Indeed a wealthy, powerful faction. The Magic Potion materials inside could likely support about fifty experiments per formula… Don’t think that’s little per test.

On the contrary, it was generous! These formulas promised genuinely high-grade Magic Potions, unlike Zheng Yichen’s Fixation Potion, which barely squeaked into the high-tier market by raw effect power. Every material here cost a fortune. Fifty portions? Truly lavish, especially when failure meant flushing it all away! After all, the identity Zheng Yichen revealed implied a Talent bearing. Failing meant appearing a total fraud to the Sanctuary Church.