Chapter 113

The auction hall was bustling with people.

Cyrus leaned back in her chair and watched as the remaining people slowly entered the auction hall and took their seats.

He crossed his legs, his right hand, gloved, resting casually on his knee. After a while, he felt a gaze fixed on him, so he looked in that direction—

Cyrus noticed that the person staring at him was a tall man who was also sitting in the alchemist's area.

The man had messy, dark brown short hair. His brown eyes met his gaze, then he abruptly looked away, his head quickly turning in another direction.

Cyrus was puzzled, but she didn't pay too much attention to it.

You'll find out who this man is once you're on stage.

The young alchemists who could sit in the front row were only a few well-known figures in the Alchemy Association.

Cyrus Zuoyi had some guesses about this person's identity.

Then, he turned his gaze to Chipman Norton, who was practically the leader of the Alchemy Association, only to find himself looking directly into Chipman's eyes.

The alchemist master nodded to him with a serious expression.

Cyrus immediately returned the greeting.

After Chipman Norton turned back around, he whispered to Judas standing behind him, "Make a note of Chipman Norton, highlight him, and have Walker investigate where he lives later..."

Speaking of which...

Cyrus paused for a moment, then continued, "If he disagrees, use force, but make sure Walker does it gently."

"Yes, my lord," Judas said softly.

Judas clearly understood the meaning behind Cyrus's seemingly cryptic and riddle-like words, and even Ferdinand, standing to the side, did not show any sign of doubt.

Because last night, Cyrus summoned them to her room for a small meeting.

--At this Alchemists and Physicians' Exchange, he participated not only as an alchemist but also to showcase his latest research findings.

However, being of noble birth, they also needed to recruit talented individuals back to their territory.

The other competitors who also want to recruit talent are simply rivals.

Since they are competitors, they cannot be polite, especially towards people like the Ed Merchant Guild and the Marquis Galli, with whom they have significant conflicts.

Cyrus wanted to take all the talents they valued away.

Therefore, he specifically asked Judas to prepare a blank notebook so that he could write down the people he favored at the exchange meeting. After that, it was time for Ferdinand and Walker's matter...

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--To those who possess genuine talent and ability, reason with them and appeal to their emotions.

If reason and emotion fail, then force is the only option.

Cyrus snapped out of her reverie, her gaze subtly sweeping over everyone seated in the noble section, including Orville, Archibald, Gena, and the three princes of the Empire...

He had some thoughts on his mind.

Shortly afterward, as the auction hall doors closed, the emcee stepped onto the front stage, marking the official start of the exchange.

This was not an era with a particularly rich cultural heritage.

Cultural deserts are manifested everywhere. Even if a piece of land is nourished by rain and slowly gathers into a shallow pool, the surrounding land is still dry and cracked, and the water flow is blocked... The culture cannot be passed on.

Gradually, even the former pond will slowly disappear.

The culture and research of alchemists is like a pyramid—the higher you go, the more difficult it becomes.

Alchemy was divided into distinct schools, each with its own rivals.

Even setting aside hostility, there are plenty of people who simply don't like each other.

Before becoming an independent alchemist, one must first start as an apprentice, enduring hardship and toil from the beginning. Even becoming an alchemist does not guarantee success—money, tools, and a sharp, forward-thinking mind are all indispensable.

Otherwise, how can we continue this research...?

This specifically refers to commoner alchemists who lack power and influence.

While it is relatively easy for nobles to become alchemists, as they have the financial resources and equipment to support them, alchemy is simply too expensive.

Conducting certain dangerous experiments without proper protective measures could potentially lead to injury to the skin and body.

For example, skin becomes sallow and rough due to alchemical experiments...

This was something that nobles could not tolerate.

Most importantly, when a steady stream of gold coins disappears due to an obsession with alchemy without yielding any tangible results, the loss of gold coins outweighs everything else for the nobles.

Furthermore, commoners and slaves living under such aristocratic rule would obviously suffer even more ruthless exploitation...

Alchemy is not without its flaws.

Many people give up halfway or perish along the way, which results in very few people being able to stand at the top of the pyramid.

Therefore, alchemists like Cyrus Desinia, who not only possess an enviable status and position but also have considerable achievements in alchemy, are quite rare.

At a young age, he already controlled the Thorn Merchant Guild that could continuously generate wealth, and later developed many remarkable achievements that could earn large sums of gold coins...

Speaking specifically of white sugar—beet sugar production.

Just ordinary beets.

In the past, it was used to make soup or chopped up and mixed with other dishes. This dish was even excluded from the tables of some nobles and was eaten by lower-class slaves or livestock.

Who would have thought that sugar could be made from beets? Not only are the raw materials easy to obtain, but the production method is also not very difficult...

What Desinia possesses is far too enviable.

The Desinia Territory is the most unique place on the Western Continent.

To predators, this is like a piece of honey exuding a sweet aroma; everyone wants to pounce on it and snatch it.

If it weren't for Cyrus being the first in his territory to develop an army, actively recruiting civilians and slaves into the military, improving the military camp system, and transforming ordinary cavalry into soldiers...

If it weren't for the cohesion and military deterrence that were gradually built up from the very beginning...

--Recruiting soldiers, establishing training camps, and the army henceforth having clear promotion rewards, all based solely on individual merit... Those with merit could even escape the status of slaves.

For the slaves in various places, the most obvious guiding light was Commander Mike Andrew, who had become one of the four commanders of the Black-and-White Cavalry.

He was once a slave.

Without the Black-and-White Cavalry as a backing, everyone would probably want a bite out of the "fat piece of meat" that Desinia Territory.

Therefore, it's no wonder that Cyrus Desinia is envied and resented, just as some people questioned all of his alchemical experiments and slandered him behind his back.

Cyrus never actively listened to these rumors about herself.

The Omnipotent Library system, while existing as his cheat code, gave him the power to rely on for his existence in this world.

No knowledge is something that people are born with.

He also needs to learn to read, and after understanding, he will use his own methods to continuously explore and investigate in conjunction with real-world developments... taking one step at a time to move forward slowly.

Don't be overly cautious, but don't neglect the details either.

The Ed Merchant Guild probably did some research and planning beforehand—some lesser-known alchemists or doctors would go on stage first to demonstrate their skills.

However, their experimental results did not have much practical significance.

It's nothing but useless stuff, exaggerated in its effects, creating false advertising.

This is similar to how modern products need a glamorous and eye-catching package to generate enough buzz to attract people to buy them.

However, some individuals have indeed achieved preliminary research results in certain areas.

Cyrus would occasionally have Judas write down the talents he favored, among whom was Yinke Ken.

This brilliant alchemist invented a new type of potion— Suppository.

This is a drug that is solid at room temperature and needs to be inserted into a cavity during use to gradually melt and release the drug, thereby producing local or systemic effects.

It is mainly used to treat patients' gastrointestinal diseases, gastrointestinal discomfort and other symptoms.

Most importantly, it can also treat constipation and relieve pain...

Especially since it can turn into a watery substance after entering the intestines for easy absorption, and can also act as a lubricant and relieve itching in the cavities—this is a medication that is not suitable for oral administration.

Yinke Ken's explanation is very detailed.

Overall, the Suppository he developed are, to some extent, similar in effect to the ointments developed by Chipman Norton for treating anal hemorrhoids.

The two complement each other, and the disease can probably be cured quickly.

To confirm the effectiveness of the treatment, Yinke Ken invited relevant personnel in advance to share their experiences.

The nobles' expressions were serious and earnest.

Apart from a few ladies who also attended the exchange meeting and used velvet fans or gloved hands to gently cover half of their faces to show their embarrassment, the rest of the people did not react much.

Because this is something that deserves great attention.

Nobles paid particular attention to their physical health.

After all, once you get sick, it can be very dangerous and lead to death, but some diseases cause pain but are not fatal.

For example, constipation and hemorrhoids are conditions that cannot be avoided.

I believe that nine out of ten people are like this, and the remaining one, even if not yet, will soon be.

This is a common, but painful, disease that is difficult to talk about.

"I believe Suppository are effective in treating symptoms such as abdominal pain and rectal bleeding, but this medication should not be used indiscriminately, otherwise it may have certain adverse effects on the body," said Yinke Ken.

Yinke honestly presented all the experimental results.

Then, he handed a Suppository, which was placed in a cork, to the attendant who carried the tray onto the stage—research findings, like those related to medicine, all require further testing.

Cyrus quietly reminded Judas to also write down and mark Yinke Ken in the register, so that Walker would be the first to act against him later.

Yinke Ken's explanation is entirely reasonable.

Unlike the previous alchemist who also claimed to have developed Universal Antidote.

He crushed more than ten kinds of herbs and then processed them into a medicine through a complicated process.

Treatment also involves praying to the Creator God, sprinkling holy water, and chanting incantations... This is how all poisoned patients can be cured.

That's complete nonsense.

Cyrus shook his head after thinking for a moment, then he saw someone walking towards the exhibition platform.

This was the man with short, dark brown hair who had been staring at him earlier; the emcee introduced him as Feilifu Kiel.

Cyrus instinctively sat up straight.

Oh, another genius from the alchemical school, I wonder what his research findings were.