Chapter 3: Secret Patterns, Alchemy, and Transcendent Steam Technology
Drip, drip.
A teacup was knocked over on the table, dark red tea dripping down, mixing with the blood.
With a crack, Su Xiao snapped the neck of the last hyena-man. These hyena-men weren't too strong; a sixth-rank contractor of some ability could handle a few of them.
Clearly, that so-called Lord Moonlight probably wasn't much either. Based on Su Xiao's estimation, the average combat power of the hyena clan was around the seventh rank, and the ones he encountered now were the weakest kind.
A dozen or so newly promoted secret technique masters escorting him, coupled with an attack by the weakest hyena clan—all of this added up to a show of force.
Someone wanted to give Su Xiao a show of force. If nothing unexpected happened, rescue would arrive within three to five days of his abduction. They would find him "kidnapped," then launch a rescue, deal with these hyena-men, and silence them.
Su Xiao had used this tactic before when working with Monarch Harold. Back then, it was to deal with a disobedient official who couldn't be replaced in the short term.
Based on this, Su Xiao assessed his own alchemy abilities. His greatest strength was concocting permanent enhancement potions, followed by using alchemy to resolve physical ailments. The identity he was disguised as would also excel in these two areas.
If someone had targeted him for permanent enhancement potions, they wouldn't need to go through all this trouble, nor would he be irreplaceable. This led him to speculate that someone wanted him to save a life, but due to conflicting positions, directly approaching him would have been refused, hence this method.
Analyzing this, the other party was likely from the Senate, and secondly, they had direct jurisdiction over secret technique masters. Otherwise, sending secret technique masters to rescue him would easily arouse suspicion.
Su Xiao flicked the blood off his Whisper Dagger. This dagger felt very handy. Although it wasn't as sharp as Dragon-Slaying Flash, with the boost from his soul strength, its sharpness surpassed most Holy Spirit rank weapons.
With a bang, Su Xiao used the pommel of the Whisper Dagger to smash a window, then used the tip to draw half a bloody footprint on the window sill below. He perfectly simulated the uneven depth of a footprint caused by uneven force when stepping, making it look like someone had broken the glass and stepped on the window sill to jump off the steam train.
He created these traces to fabricate a rescuer, as he didn't want to reveal his own combat power yet.
After setting up the evidence, Su Xiao sat back in his seat and checked the world introduction that had appeared.
[Entering World: Light·Dark World]
Location: Central Continent·Red Cord Line (Steam train line under Chidorman Company).
World Difficulty: Lv.55～Lv.67 (Semi-Open Primordial World).
World Source: 0%.
World Introduction: Where light and darkness converge, mysterious and eerie, the collision of transcendent steam science and alchemy, the inheritance of secret technique masters, the hatred between the rulers and the hyena clan, a splendid era of transcendent steam has arrived, like sparks mingled in the steam.
[Light·Dark Era 312, Emperor Okaz was the sole ruler, the hyena clan could only live outside the bitter cold border, not daring to step into the empire's territory.]
[Light·Dark Era 392, Emperor Okaz died at the age of 112. He was hailed as the greatest ruler in history. He overruled opposition, abolished a total of seventeen scripts including ancient script and cuneiform, unified the empire's script and currency, established a parliamentary system, limited royal power, and ended the era of dictatorship.]
[Light·Dark Era 393, Emperor Okaz's four direct descendants completely fell out. Under the notarization of the parliament, they divided the continental map into four parts, each establishing an empire. However, in the same month, all four empires changed their flags to kingdoms. There could only be one empire, and none of them were qualified.]
[Light·Dark Era 415, the contradictions between the four kingdoms intensified, and war was about to break out. This made the hyena clan restless. In the same year, war broke out, and the hyena clan left the bitter cold land.]
[Light·Dark Era 427, the war between the four kingdoms grew fiercer. One day, an explorer discovered an underground tomb, where he gained the power of secret patterns.]
[In the same year, the first secret pattern master in history was killed. By studying his corpse, the coastal Storm Kingdom obtained the knowledge of secret patterns and mass-produced secret technique masters, eventually throwing them into the war.]
[Light·Dark Era 590, the Storm Kingdom captured more than half of the continent's territory. Unfortunately, the core knowledge of secret patterns leaked, and the other three kingdoms quickly mastered the power of secret patterns.]
[Light·Dark Era 677, the war ceased. The high-ranking officials of all kingdoms found that their secret technique masters were becoming weaker and weaker, some were no different from magicians, and their combat power was even inferior to ordinary soldiers.]
[After a hundred years of research, scholars discovered the truth: secret technique masters needed a 'free' soul. Under the shackles of royal power, secret technique masters were like being put in chains. The generations of loyalty to royal power caused the secret patterns to reject their souls.]
[For unknown reasons, secret patterns spread to the common people. One powerful secret technique master after another appeared, creating a splendid and enchanting transcendent era, but also the worst and most chaotic era. The existence of royal power, although creating inequality in status between people, ensured the safety and prosperity of the common people. At least the rulers wouldn't release falling fire on their own territory, but powerful secret technique masters might.]
[Light·Dark Era 1176, secret technique masters signed a treaty with the four kingdoms, establishing a cooperative relationship to jointly hunt the hyena clan in the night.]
[Light·Dark Era 1255, the four kingdoms established the Senate. Secret technique masters could no longer interfere with royal power. The Senate became the center of power. During this period, due to the intervention of secret technique masters, the Senate was able to curb royal power. This was a win-win-win situation for all three parties.]
[Light·Dark Era 1576, alchemy appeared. Source unknown.]
[Light·Dark Era 1651, the first compressed steam engine was born. In the same year, the first steam car traveled 12.6 meters before exploding. Transcendent steam technology was in its infancy, with opportunities and wealth everywhere.]
[Light·Dark Era 1721, transcendent steam technology gradually matured.]
[World, start!]
...
Through the world introduction, Su Xiao learned quite a bit. This world was initially an empire system, then evolved into four opposing kingdoms. With the emergence of secret technique masters, there was even a chaotic era of secret patterns.
After a bumpy development, transcendent steam technology became the mainstream. Secret technique masters were trying to combine secret patterns with steam technology. If successful, this would be the cornerstone of the next era.
Compared to secret technique masters and transcendent steam technology, alchemy was much more low-key. It never publicized itself, yet successive rulers flocked to it. Compared to transcendent steam technology and secret patterns, the threshold for alchemy was ridiculously high.
Even an apprentice needed to consume a massive amount of resources to have a chance of becoming a junior alchemist, and this was with the guidance of a formal alchemist. Self-study was completely impossible.
Su Xiao closed the world introduction. This was the most active world of historical change he had ever seen. There must have been a civilization before the Light·Dark Era. Secret patterns came from that civilization, and alchemy most likely came from the void.
This world felt like a treasure trove still being developed, with many unknown things yet to be discovered.
Su Xiao sorted out the relationship between the four kingdoms and the Senate. The two sides were mutually independent and mutually restrictive, which was exactly what the secret technique masters wanted to see. Their ancestors had once been reduced to weapons of war.
The only thing that was puzzling was the hyena clan. This clan had been active on the continent since the time of Emperor Okaz. After three entire eras of change, they, who seemed to be constantly beaten, had actually become more prosperous.