Alchemist

"What new job? What kind of new job?"

Blackie was puzzled. She also thought highly of the clever and capable little cat.

"It's working at a herbal medicine shop, learning to identify herbs and refine medicine. Maybe I could become an alchemist in the future," Qin Yue said uncertainly.

Identifying herbs was manageable, but refining medicine was much harder and required great comprehension.

Her comprehension had always been average, far from outstanding, so she was worried.

"Don't worry. I'll teach you when the time comes. I was exposed to alchemy when I was little, so I have a tiny bit of foundation," Song Xiaomei comforted her gently.

"Mhm, thank you, Xiaomei," Qin Yue said gratefully.

"Why be so polite with me? Sister Blackie, are you going to the herbal medicine shop? Learning alchemy and herb identification is actually pretty good. If you really become an alchemist, you'll be respected too."

Song Xiaomei thought of the alchemist who had been arrested. The reason he had been able to hide for so long was because of his identity as an alchemist.

With that identity, ordinary people truly did not dare investigate him, which was how that alchemist had managed to refine so many puppets and harm so many people.

If they became alchemists as well, they could apply for powerful guards to protect them. They would not have to worry about being attacked when leaving the city in the future.

So when the little cat made this request, Song Xiaomei was the first to agree, nodding without hesitation.

"I won't be going. After this puppet incident, the Enforcement Team valued my investigative ability and gave me a trainee badge.

"If I pass the assessment, I'll be able to join the Enforcement Team." Blackie raised her right hand and took a small badge from her pocket.

The badge looked very similar to the ones normally worn by the Enforcement Team, except it was slightly smaller. It was a trainee badge.

"Not bad, Sister Blackie. You've actually become a civil servant. If we run into trouble in the future, you'll have to help us out more," Song Xiaomei hurriedly said.

"No problem. Call me when the time comes. The same goes for Yueyue, so don't stand on ceremony with me."

Blackie promised sincerely, her words clearly coming from the heart.

"Then thank you, Sister Blackie." Qin Yue smiled sweetly, warmth filling her heart.

After chatting for a while longer, Blackie said goodbye and left. Song Xiaomei and Qin Yue, meanwhile, took the little cat out and headed for the herbal medicine shop they had found in advance.

However.

As they passed the entrance to an alley, the little cat standing on Qin Yue's shoulder suddenly turned to look into it, narrowing his eyes.

"What is it, kitty?" Qin Yue asked softly, her beautiful eyes full of confusion.

"It's nothing. Keep walking."

Li Xuan replied, his sapphire-like cat eyes giving the alley another glance.

"Mhm."

Qin Yue listened to Li Xuan very obediently and continued onward. Though she felt that something might be wrong, she still meekly did as Li Xuan asked.

The two girls and one cat continued forward, quickly leaving the area and heading into the distance.

After they had gone far away.

A person emerged from the shadows of the alley, accompanied by a two-meter-long white snake.

That person was none other than Iron Tiger, captain of the Enforcement Team. The white snake was his summoned beast, Lightning Snake.

"What sharp senses. That cat really is impressive. It discovered me even though I was hiding so far away."

Iron Tiger spoke gravely, his sharp eyes fixed on the direction Qin Yue and the others had left.

As captain of the Enforcement Team, Iron Tiger had been unable to let go of the matter ever since he had gone to Song Xiaomei's home and Lightning Snake sensed that mysterious aura.

Although everyone said they had sensed nothing at all, based on his years of experience and keen investigative ability, Iron Tiger still felt that something was wrong.

So he had not put the matter aside, instead keeping it firmly in mind.

Today, while out for a stroll with nothing to do, he happened to spot Song Xiaomei, Qin Yue, and that little cat.

The instant he saw the cat, Iron Tiger decisively chose to observe from the shadows.

Yet he had not watched for long before the cat discovered him. That level of perception greatly surprised him.

"Lightning Snake, did you sense any aura from that cat?" Iron Tiger looked at the white snake.

Hiss, hiss, hiss~

The white snake hissed, shaking its head as it opened its mouth.

"You mean you didn't sense any aura from the cat?" Iron Tiger frowned, wondering if he really was being overly suspicious.

Even his own summoned beast had sensed no aura, making Iron Tiger frown even more.

Hiss, hiss, hiss~

Lightning Snake hissed again, anxiously trying to convey something.

"Wait, you mean you didn't sense an aura, but you're very afraid of that cat?!"

Iron Tiger froze. He had never expected his summoned beast to say such a thing.

His summoned beast had already reached the peak of Black Iron rank, only a step away from Bronze rank.

As long as Iron Tiger himself advanced from high-level Black Iron to Bronze rank, his pet would rank up as well.

Such a powerful pet should not have been afraid of an ordinary little cat.

Yet the white snake said it was afraid. That was strange.

"Let's go. Keep watching. There must be a secret here."

After saying that, Iron Tiger took Lightning Snake onward, trailing far behind as he observed carefully.

In the distance.

Qin Yue and Song Xiaomei arrived at a herbal medicine shop. After exchanging pleasantries, they finally became apprentices there.

They had to start with the basics of identifying herbs and work hard to learn everything. Only then would they have a chance to refine medicine and rise above others.

"This is the Herbal Compendium. Study it carefully and do not slack off in the slightest. I'll test you from time to time and grade you based on your performance."

The shop owner was a female alchemist dressed in a cheongsam. Both her manner and tone of voice seemed exceedingly arrogant.

After saying that, she tossed the Herbal Compendium onto the table and said flatly,

"I recruited ten people this time, but I'll only keep three. So work hard and perform well. Whether you stay or not depends on yourselves."

After finishing, the cheongsam-clad alchemist swayed away on her long, shapely legs.

As she passed Qin Yue, the cheongsam-clad alchemist raised her slender, snow-white hand and gently stroked the little cat's head, saying brightly,

"The little cat is very cute. One extra point."

"Huh?"

Qin Yue froze for a moment, never expecting to gain points like this. She immediately said in delight, "Thank you."

"Mhm."

After saying that, the cheongsam-clad alchemist returned directly to the alchemy room and began working.

The group left behind looked at Qin Yue and the little cat with envy.

"What's so great about that? She just has a little cat. I'll bring a cat tomorrow too, along with something cute."

Someone spoke sourly, looking at Qin Yue with envy and jealousy.

"Exactly. I have a foundation in herbology. I'll definitely be one of the ones who stays."

"I do too. Anyone who came here must have some foundation. That's the bare minimum."

The people around them discussed among themselves, all believing that they would be able to stay.

Qin Yue, on the other hand, fell silent because she realized that she was the only one without any foundation. It made her feel rather upset.

For poor people, money was indispensable if they wanted to live well in this world. More importantly, alchemy was one of the most profitable professions.

And ever since they entered the shop, kitty had been staring fixedly at a certain herb on the counter, clearly valuing it greatly.

But that herb was priced at one hundred thousand. The price was outrageously high, and she could not afford it at all.

Yet she wanted to buy it for kitty, so she wanted to become an alchemist, earn lots of money, and buy the herb for him.