Chapter 65: A New Alchemical Creature
Yin Luo did not keep Su Xiao waiting long. It took her only a few hours to gather the fourteen types of Epic-grade materials. As for the remaining two million Paradise Coins, it would take one to two days for the funds to arrive.
After all, Yin Luo and her friend were only core members of a Sixth Rank adventure group. Even with support from their organization, the amount was limited, and part of it had to be raised by themselves.
In the exclusive room, inside the Alchemy Laboratory.
Hum~
A massive machine was preheating. Su Xiao was preparing to create a new alchemical creature to compensate for his own shortcomings.
As a Hunter, it was nearly impossible for Su Xiao to team up with other Contractors at lower ranks. By the time he reached Fifth Rank, forming a team with other Contractors had become completely impossible—trust issues were an insurmountable chasm.
Therefore, Su Xiao decided to stop teaming up with other Contractors altogether. This was also why he established a solo-type adventure group.
Although Su Xiao developed in four attributes, there were inevitably gaps. Amu was the tank, Bubu Wang handled reconnaissance and served as an amateur healer, and Beini was responsible for treasure hunting and item sales.
Su Xiao trusted Bubu Wang, Amu, and Beini. Among them, Beini, though unable to help much in battle, made significant contributions. She saved Su Xiao a great deal of time spent in Reincarnation Paradise, almost permanently stationed in the Trade Market. While selling items, she also helped Su Xiao check real-time prices of various goods, preventing him from suffering losses due to price differences.
Thus, Su Xiao decided to create another alchemical creature. However, when an alchemical creature is first born, it serves as cannon fodder and a rearguard, blocking attacks for Su Xiao at critical moments. Beings like Bubu Wang, Amu, and Beini were exceptions.
Seeing that Su Xiao was about to create another alchemical creature, Bubu Wang began cracking his knuckles, eager to bully a new member. Amu was too honest, and Bubu couldn't bear to mess with him. As for Beini, that tsundere cat would even scratch Su Xiao when provoked, clearly not someone Bubu Wang could bully. Cat-and-dog fights that left fur all over the room were a common occurrence.
Clack, clack...
Su Xiao adjusted the furnace to 6752°, where three types of Epic-grade materials were gradually dissolving. This time, he intended to create an assassination-type alchemical creature, though it would have several other characteristics as well.
After nearly ten hours of busy work, Su Xiao finally finished processing the materials. Bubu Wang, acting as an assistant, handed him a glass of ice water.
Su Xiao took the ice water, his face covered in sweat, and downed it in one gulp, crunching the ice cubes a few times.
"Amu, how's the high-temperature reaction of the chitin selenium going?"
As soon as Su Xiao spoke, Amu trotted over to a row of metal racks. Dozens of flame nozzles were converging their fire to heat a transparent crystal.
"Moo~"
Amu called out, and Su Xiao naturally understood—Amu meant they needed to wait a few more minutes.
"Keep an eye on that... you can."
As he spoke, Su Xiao exerted force with his hands, pushing a metal rod nearly two meters long, causing the muscles on his back to bulge.
Bang!
A dull thud came from the inner part of the laboratory. Su Xiao quickly stepped forward, reaching into a pulsating pseudo-heart to pull out a round sphere. This sphere was already sprouting flesh buds.
"It should be ready."
Su Xiao signaled Bubu Wang and Amu to retreat to the doorway, then pressed his hand on a large button.
"Self-destruct sequence initiated. Please evacuate immediately. 10, 9..."
Hearing the mechanical voice, Su Xiao looked at Bubu Wang. Bubu Wang whistled and looked around, indicating that the audio prompt wasn't his doing.
Obviously, there was no self-destruct at all. Su Xiao had activated a semi-automatic polymerization device.
Su Xiao stood before a massive experimental table. He wasn't sure if this creation would succeed. They had reached a critical moment, and there was no turning back.
Half an hour later, Su Xiao, bare-chested, walked out of the Alchemy Laboratory. White mist sprayed from the ceiling, cooling the lab.
Soon, the cooling ended. On the huge experimental table lay an oval egg, about a meter tall, covered in black patterns with faint dark blue light flickering.
Thump, thump, thump...
Heartbeats came from inside the egg. In reality, this was a biological reaction taking place.
Bubu Wang crouched beside the giant egg, examining it up and down. After a while, this rascal actually tried to sit on it to incubate it, but Su Xiao immediately grabbed him off.
"Amu, just smash it open."
As soon as Su Xiao spoke, cracks appeared on the egg.
Crack, crack...
The shell quickly broke apart, and a wing emerged. The feathers on this wing were black-blue, giving a metallic texture.
With a shattering sound, the eggshell completely broke open, revealing a vulture about eighty centimeters tall. It was covered in black-blue feathers, its neck wasn't bald, and it had a hooked beak. What was most striking were its claws—four talons like hooked blades, extremely sharp. The front three were merely sharp, but the rear curved claw was deadly. In Su Xiao's design, this claw was hollow at the top, capable of injecting poison into enemies.
"Shouldn't it... be an eagle?"
Su Xiao examined the vulture on the experimental table. He had originally designed the prototype as an eagle, but what appeared seemed to be a hybrid of an eagle and a vulture.
Regardless of what it was, Su Xiao needed to test the new alchemical creature's intelligence.
"What number is this?"
Su Xiao held up two fingers. The black-blue vulture looked at him with confusion.
"New boss, I'm not an idiot."
The black-blue vulture fluttered its wings.
Su Xiao: '...'
Bubu Wang: '?'
Amu: 'A bit envious.'
"How did I turn into a bird? Let me check..."
The black-blue vulture looked down at its own crotch.
"Thank goodness, I'm male. I can still fly."
The black-blue vulture was unexpectedly lively. It seemed to want to land on Su Xiao's shoulder but hesitated, then chose to land on Amu's shoulder instead.
Intelligence testing was no longer necessary. The new alchemical creature had very high intelligence, at least not lower than a human's. Given that its core was a finished product, this was normal.
"Woof."
Bubu Wang barked. The black-blue vulture looked at him and started making faces, clearly aware that Bubu Wang outranked it.
"Baha?"
Su Xiao stared at the new alchemical creature. If anything was wrong, he would immediately melt it down and start over.
"It's me, hahaha. That last fight was exhilarating. I can't believe I got a new life. This time, I'll fight for you until I die."
The black-blue vulture, now named Baha, was clearly an active personality. It also had a natural fondness for Amu, for some unknown reason.
Su Xiao had fought Baha before. The creature's combat experience needed no elaboration—Su Xiao had nearly died at its hands. As for loyalty, Baha had been extremely loyal to its previous creator. Back then, Baha's strength far exceeded its creator's, even enough to break free from its bonds.
Not only did Baha not do that, but it fought to the death for that old man.
"New boss, give the order. Who do you want me to kill? I'm strong now."
Baha, standing on Amu's shoulder, spread its wings. It had to be said that Amu and Baha's auras matched well.
"Woof."
Bubu Wang barked. Surprisingly, Baha understood and flew down from Amu's shoulder.
"There's a rule like that?"
Baha landed beside Bubu Wang. Although it was less than a meter tall, its wingspan was about three meters when spread.
Bubu Wang jumped onto Baha's back.
"Hold on tight. This body of mine is sturdy."
Baha spread its wings and actually took off, carrying Bubu Wang.
"Owooo~"
Bubu Wang, flying in midair, was overjoyed and let out a long howl.
"Pretty good, right? As long as it doesn't exceed ten tons, I can lift it. Flying feels amazing!"
Baha, flying in the air, laughed loudly, too happy to watch where it was going.
Bang!
Carrying Bubu Wang, Baha crashed into the wall. Both the bird and the dog's faces made intimate contact with the wall, then slowly slid down.
"Caw~ caw? Caw caw!"
Baha suddenly couldn't speak, for some reason.
"Woof (shady ride)."
Bubu Wang shook his head. This new alchemical creature—he was very satisfied with it. Leaving aside its combat ability, the fact that it was this much fun already suited Bubu's personality perfectly.