Half a Recipe (Please Vote)

"Mind Core, set up the book-reading program."

After nightfall, Rein configured the Mind Core's program, lay flat, and fell asleep. He quickly entered a deep dream.

Baron Morin had only obtained the Corpse Stitcher recipe from that Airship Wreckage, without finding the corresponding exclusive inheritance.

But the professional knowledge of the "Battle Doctor" sequence was surely related to medicine. Piscis's collection happened to contain the introductory medical books he desperately needed.

Mastering the necessary "healer skills" would also give him a few more chances to survive when he escaped the Weasel Gang and traveled through the Ice Ridge Wasteland in the future.

Besides those introductory books, the folded space also contained the advanced knowledge from Morin's storage ring. For a long time to come, Rein's work would be to absorb this professional knowledge.

In his dream memories, Rein sat in a library created by his own thoughts.

The bookshelves around him held volume after volume recorded by the Mind Core.

He casually took down a copy of Introduction to Potionology and opened it. The text inside was identical to that of the real book, and even the feel was remarkably realistic.

Although time was distorted in dreams, the flow of time as perceived by the senses was the same as reality.

He neither grew hungry nor thirsty, but reading was still an incredibly tedious task, especially professional books on medicine.

One night equaled twenty nights. It was indeed a tremendous advantage in time, but could an ordinary person endure the loneliness of reading continuously for twenty days?

This... required tremendous willpower to overcome.

That was why, even if his previous life had possessed such high-tech products, Earth had not been filled with scientists everywhere.

Ordinary people with a "Mind Core" would rather create vivid, sensual dreams and indulge themselves. After all, dreams could fulfill every desire unattainable in reality.

Fortunately, after spending a year in the Weasel New Recruit Training Corps, where people died every day, Rein had long been forced to adapt to this dull routine of learning in dreams.

He also understood that every bit of knowledge he crammed now would give him one more sliver of a chance to survive in the future.

At dawn, Rein woke from his sleep.

"Mind Core, activate last night's deep memories."

Though he did not remember what had happened in his dreams the night before, he had grown accustomed to activating those memories every morning.

Ding! Activating deep memories.

The next instant, densely packed words and symbols flooded into his mind.

The massive amount of memories returned by the Mind Core made Rein feel as if a USB drive had been plugged into his brain, instantly transferring an ocean of data and leaving him dizzy and disoriented.

"Damn, it looks like I read a little more this time."

After reeling for a while, Rein grumbled inwardly. It took a long time before the discomfort in his head finally subsided.

This was one of the few side effects of the Mind Core. It was especially noticeable after having "sweet dreams," leaving one with a hollow feeling as though their body had been drained dry.

Before long, activity could be heard from the laboratory outside. The early-rising Piscis had begun another day of experiments.

That old schemer's plans had completely fallen through.

He believed that even if Rein read through his books, it would be impossible for him to improve much in a short period.

But while one day might not be enough to read much, what about twenty days?

In just one night, Rein had used the equivalent of twenty days to go through a great number of books and learn a great deal of basic medical and potion knowledge.

He learned to recognize many potion ingredients and became familiar with detailed diagrams of human anatomy.

He also learned how to brew potions and prepare healing medicine.

Though his practical experience was still zero, his theoretical knowledge had at least reached the level of an entry-level apprentice.

A new day began.

Piscis explained a few points about dissection to Rein, then had no time to pay him further attention.

Rein picked up a scalpel and, for the first time, tried to dissect a Sawtooth Rat.

He cut through skin and flesh, the fat layer, fascia, internal organs, nerves, and blood vessels.

Then he tried to stitch them back together, threading the needle and tying knots.

His brain said: I've got this.

His hands said: No, you don't.

Rein discovered that there was still a long road between applying the basic theories recorded in books and putting them into practice.

"Making an incision" was not simply slashing with a blade. It required familiarity with the body's tissue structure and avoiding certain blood vessels and nerves. "Suturing" was also unlike sewing clothes; the anatomical layers needed to align neatly, and the stitch spacing had to be uniform. Different tissues also required different techniques and stitching methods.

After learning to suture outer skin, there were even more difficult tasks ahead, such as reconnecting nerves and blood vessels.

Fortunately, Rein was Transcendent. His eyesight and perception far surpassed those of ordinary people. Otherwise, who knew how many giant rats he would have had to cut to death before getting started?

Only practice produced true knowledge. An eternal truth.

And so, many days passed.

He studied theory at night and practiced hands-on during the day, occasionally watching Piscis prepare potions and secretly learning from him.

Rein's progress was advancing by leaps and bounds.

He guessed that Piscis was keeping a close watch on him. Over the past few days, he had never tried to escape, as though he had truly settled down to become an apprentice.

However, after he had roughly dissected seven or eight small beasts caught from the wasteland, along with several human corpses from who knew where, until they were a bloody mess—

He knew the opportunity he had been waiting for had arrived!

Ever since Rein became Piscis's disciple, he had never gone to the main cafeteria to eat again.

But this had also aroused some suspicion from the leader, Quinn.

After all, Rein was the only survivor who had been closest to Morin's corpse.

Though he could not afford to offend a noble potion master like Piscis, Quinn still came under pressure and repeatedly questioned Rein about the details of that day's operation at Blazing Steel Fortress.

That day, Piscis returned to the laboratory.

Quinn had come to interrogate Rein while he was absent. That was a very bad sign.

If Rein had not already become his disciple, Quinn would probably have transferred him away by now.

Piscis asked, "What did the leader ask when he came today?"

Rein wrote and sketched on the table as he answered, "Oh, the leader was still asking about that mission at Blazing Steel Fortress."

Piscis asked, "What did you say?"

Rein replied, "The same thing I said last time."

"Mm, well done."

After pondering for a moment, Piscis added, "I already sent people to 88 Maple Street."

He did not say the rest: they had found nothing there that could be called a "treasure."

As he spoke, the old man stared at Rein, trying to find some flaw in his expression.

Rein pretended not to understand and looked up in surprise. "Ah, then did you find Baron Morin's treasure, Teacher?"

"It was indeed one of Morin's secret properties, but there was nothing valuable there."

Piscis found no clue, and his expression darkened uncertainly.

He did not know whether he had been fooled, or whether the things that appeared worthless actually concealed some secret.

Rein deliberately guided him. "Ah? But Baron Morin seemed to care a great deal about that address. Could the treasure have been hidden away?"

He had anticipated this result long ago. He had also prepared this explanation beforehand.

Couldn't find the treasure?

Had you pried open every brick?

Had you checked every word in every book to make sure there was no hidden Treasure Map?

Anyway, I already told you. If you couldn't find the treasure, it was definitely because you were doing it wrong.

"Mm, perhaps."

Piscis was somewhat displeased.

Seeing the ugly, constipated look on the old man's face, Rein did not provoke him further. Instead, he continued scribbling notes across the paper.

The movement easily drew attention.

Sure enough, Piscis casually glanced over.

He had assumed his "disciple" was taking notes on basic knowledge.

But when he clearly saw what Rein had written on the table, his face suddenly changed drastically. He hurriedly asked, "Y-you... what are you writing?!"

"I don't know what this is either. It looks like some kind of recipe."

Rein shrugged, putting on an expression of utter confusion. "These strange words suddenly appeared in my mind. They seem to have been left behind by Baron Morin. I wanted to try recording them, but there are too many symbols I don't recognize. It's driving me crazy."

He knew very clearly what he was writing.

This was the Golden Gene Potion Recipe Baron Morin had used to trade with the Oma Royal Family in exchange for his title!

Gene Potion Recipes in this world did not merely record potion ingredients; they also contained the entire detailed brewing process.

It was somewhat like chemical equations from his previous life. There were many special symbols for heating, distillation, filtration, purification, and fusion.

Symbols like , , , ∮, , and so on.

There were also numerous reaction processes, time periods, temperatures, and concentrations. Written out densely, they formed a huge mass, like dozens of complicated chemical equations linked together, enough to make one's eyes spin.

Anyone who was not a professional potion master would see nothing but gibberish.

Of course, this was a Gold Potion Recipe.

Ordinary Black Iron recipes were not nearly so complicated. The higher the quality of a recipe, the more ingredients it contained and the more complex it became.

Rein claimed he could not understand it, but how could a Two-Star Potion Master like Piscis fail to understand what was written?

The moment he saw the half-written equation, he immediately realized it was a high-quality Gene Potion Recipe!

Piscis could not hide the excitement in his eyes. Even his breathing became slightly rapid as he said, "This is indeed a potion recipe. You've only just started learning, so it's normal that you can't understand it."

As he spoke, anticipation quietly appeared in his eyes.

He possessed two Silver-quality potion recipes, but judging from the complexity of the formula before him, this recipe far surpassed the Silver recipes in his possession.

Could it be a Gold Potion Recipe?!

It was a rare recipe that even he had never seen before!

Thinking of the intelligence that Morin had exchanged a Gold Potion Recipe for his baronial title, Piscis's eyes grew brighter and brighter. This was something the Oma Royal Family and the top nobles regarded as an invaluable strategic treasure!

But—

Only half of it had been written, and that was agonizing.

It was like having a great beauty swaying before you. It would have been fine if she had not undressed, but she had taken off half her clothes, just as the important parts were about to be revealed, only for there to be nothing more.

Piscis stared at Rein and pressed, "Where is the rest?"

A faint gleam flashed through Rein's eyes. "That? I seem to have forgotten a little."

Seeing the burning look in the old man's eyes, he knew his goal... had succeeded!

It's Monday. Please send some recommendation votes my way, everyone~