Death… And Me

Chapter 3973: The Trap

How could you get a value above 300? Actually, the answer was behind the theoretical values of alchemists in the Space-Bending Realm. Roan achieving a higher result than that simply proved his alchemy skills were beyond what was expected of Alchemists at the same cultivation realm. It wasn’t the first time that happened. Of course, that was still a ridiculously hard thing to believe due to how high the score was.

Roan came forward, ignoring all eyes. ”I don’t care about the prize in Divine Stones. Just give me the same equipment Lukis, Tonrul, and Klondalkin used in their booths.”

Roan paid close attention to all the participants, and he found some of the guys who had the best equipment, which he could use to change his own workshop in the Celestial Soul Dimensional Realm.

The guy responsible for the challenge didn’t speak for a few moments before noticing Roan was talking to him. ”Ah! Right, right. Let me see. Wait, did you say their equipment? Errr... I’m sorry, young one. Those are proprietary versions that the powers backing them will not sell just to anyone.”

Roan nodded. ”That’s why I took part in this test. I knew I couldn’t buy them, but the rule of this challenge was that I could ask for anything of equivalent value as long as it was within the participants’ capabilities. Since they brought those pieces of equipment here, they obviously can provide it, right?”

”This...” The man didn’t know how to answer. ”That probably won’t be that easy. They would need permission from their higher-ups, and I find it very hard to happen.”

”Wait right there!” Finally, someone else couldn’t hold back anymore. ”There is definitely something wrong! How can he score so much more than 300 points?! The measuring equipment is broken! It must be!”

”He is right!”

”I don’t accept this result either!”

”If he made 337 points with that black sludge of his, then my Ground Alignment Dust is worth at least a thousand!”

Several voices raised one after another, all of them saying that Roan either cheated or the equipment that measured the products was broken. No one accepted that he surpassed the max value.

”All of you, silent!” It was then that Lukis stepped forward. ”Friend Roan here gave me his ’black sludge’ so I could test it myself. I can speak on behalf of the alchemists of Rongui Corporation that he did not cheat. His Ground Alignment Dust was truly far better and beyond what any of us created today.”

Many mouths shut at that moment, as Rongui Corporation was one of the big powers when it came to alchemy. By bringing that name forward, Lukis was also putting his own reputation on the line.

Of course, not everyone was afraid of Rongui Corporation. ”Is that so? Then why don’t you show us?”

Roan didn’t seem willing to wait there, though. ”Since I can’t get the equipment, I’m leaving. I have no interest in this squabble.”

”Wa-Wait!” The operator stopped him. ”What about the payment? Also, leaving now would be the same as admitting you are guilty of cheating or that something was wrong.”

Roan shook his head. ”It’s just some Divine Stones. I have no interest in those. I’ll find some other way to acquire their equipment. As for whether I’m cheating or not, that’s for you to decide, not me. I couldn’t care less about what any of you think about me. Just give the Divine Stones prize to the piece of shit who finished in second or third and forget this.”

”Who are you calling shit?!” Trulerga, the alchemist who took the second position with 271 points, couldn’t just ignore Roan’s words. ”I don’t want to hear that from a cheating bastard like you.”

Roan faintly smiled. ”So you insist I’m cheating, uh? Very well, how about we compete, one-on-one, right now, under everyone’s eyes? If I lose, I’ll give you a thousand Rank Thirteen Divine Stones.”

Roan now had all of Rean and Kentucky’s fortune at his hand anyway.

”If I win, then I want the same alchemy equipment you used in this test, same model and capabilities.”

*WoW!*

Hearing Roan challenging Trulerga head-on like that immediately caught everyone’s attention. But, at the same time, they also understood. That was likely Roan’s trap to get what he wanted. He most likely knew he couldn’t get the equipment even if he won, but he did anyway, trying to trap someone who could provide it to him.

’Senior Trulerga,’ Lukis reached out to him. Turns out that Lukis and Trulerga were both part of the Rongui Corporation. ’Don’t do this. I wasn’t lying earlier. He truly deserves that result. I still have half of his black sludge vial, and I can pass it to you. You can test and see it yourself. This guy is on another level!’

Trulerga glanced at Lukis, understanding that Lukis used a Divine Sense message to not implicate him. Unfortunately, Roan already challenged him in front of everyone. If he backed down now after accusing Roan of cheating, wouldn’t he be humiliated even more? Yes, he knows he was falling into a trap, everyone knows, but he was still confident in his alchemy abilities.

”Very well,” Trulerga accepted the challenge. ”But if you are as good as you claim to be, you and I will compete by concocting a pill of my choice. We will use the exact same recipe. Do you dare?”

Roan’s expression didn’t change even a bit. ”So be it.”

Trulerga’s confidence increased even more, spreading his arms and speaking. ”Everyone! Watch us as we concoct a Temporal Harmonization Pill!”

Then, he pointed at Roan. ”Also, I ask everyone’s help to watch him while we work. You can obviously watch me too. If you see him cheating, we can all get back at him.”

Excitement once again took over the crowd, people quickly forgetting about the Divine Stones they lost in the previous one. Those from outside were even more entertained.

”Temporal Harmonization Pill is no joke!”

”They are only Space-Bending Realm experts. Do they even have the necessary cultivation to pull out that pill?”

”Since Trulerga chose this one, he is likely confident he can concoct it, even if probably just barely.”

”Excluding the ridiculous result from the black haired guy, Trulerga was the highest scorer. We are betting here that this Roan guy was cheating, so...”

”Hehehe! Trulerga is truly a wicked guy. He chose a pill he knew the opponent would not be able to concoct in the first place due to lack of cultivation, let alone concoct a better one than his. Even Trulerga himself might fail it.”

Suddenly, another voice echoed in the surroundings.

”The bet is up! Everyone, go to the website and use this ID to bet on who you think will win this. Will Trulerga succeed in this pill? Or will the unknown man from a small continent called Runia prove he is more than his background suggests? Easy Divine Stones are on our way if you bet on Trulerga, or maybe you are bold and believe Roan can concoct that pill with his lack of cultivation. It’s your choice!”

Roan glanced over, that voice as recognizable as the face that spoke them. It was Kentucky, once again hyping the crowd just like he did in Rean’s case.

Well, he didn’t care. Easy Divine Stones are always welcome.