"Lü Qiang?"
Li Xiangyang raised an eyebrow. That Alchemist nad Lü Qiang was a contestant brought in by the owner of the Wild Wolf Bar. His Alchemy skills were impressive, but he had a reclusive personality and kept to himself. He hadn't said a word to anyone since the competition began. He seed like the type of person completely absorbed in the study of Alchemy.
"I think there's sothing wrong with him," Zhou Chen explained.
"I'll have soone look into him." Li Xiangyang was a smart man and didn't press for more details. He simply took out his phone to make the arrangents.
Three minutes later, an information broker sent over Lü Qiang's detailed file. As one of the top contenders to win the underground black market's Alchemy Competition, information on Lü Qiang had long been circulating in the shadows.
Li Xiangyang said, "He's twenty-seven years old and ca to Hong City four years ago. He runs a small Alchemy Workshop in the North District's black market. He's low-key and mysterious. Many of the thugs who tried to rob his shop went in and never ca out, vanishing from the Mortal World.
"Soone once saw him attending a gathering for so mysterious religion... Heh. In a place like Hong City, the underworld is crawling with all sorts of shady churches and societies. The Church he attended is called the 'Spirit Cultivation Association.' It's a fake Church that scams people out of money and sex. They believe that dual cultivation can expand one's Extraordinary Spirituality, leading to a longer life and a stronger body. There's even a B-list actress who believes in it and goes to receive the 'baptism' from the association's president every month."
'Spirit Cultivation Association...' The thought flashed through Zhou Chen's mind. Then he nodded. "Got it. Keep an eye on his movents after the competition. I'll give you an Alchemy Potion afterward to replenish your depleted energy."
Li Xiangyang fell silent for a mont, then lowered his voice and asked, "Can I buy a few more? *Cough*, I've had a lot of social engagents recently..."
"...I suppose."
After their brief conversation, Zhou Chen glanced discreetly at Lü Qiang, who was resting in the competitor's prep area in the distance.
On the competition floor, he had caught a faint scent coming from Lü Qiang. The odor had clearly been treated, but years of exposure weren't so easily washed away—to put it simply, it had seeped into him.
An ordinary person might not have noticed it, but his body had been enhanced by the Hamr of Forging. Having also encountered many Corrupters, he was all too familiar with their unique, putrid stench. Even the faintest, almost imperceptible trace of it was sharply captured by his sense of sll.
This ant Lü Qiang dealt with Corrupters on a regular basis, which was highly suspicious. He might be connected to the Abyss Church. Of course, the Abyss Church wasn't the only group to raise Corrupters; so evil societies also cultivated them as combat forces.
Five minutes later, the officials announced the the for the second round: Hallucinogen.
"Heh, just as I expected." Li Xiye sipped her cocktail, speaking with an air of soone far older than she was, as if she had predicted the second round's the all along.
Hallucinogens were extrely popular in a fast-paced, high-pressure city like Hong City. It was a psychoactive drug that could induce a state of blissful euphoria, allowing people to release the suffocating stress of daily life.
This stuff was a genuine Alchemy Potion, originally used on victims of ntal corruption to help them maintain positive emotions and avoid being consud by negativity, which could lead to corruption. It later flowed into the market and beca a source of comfort for many.
For any Alchemy Workshop that sold Hallucinogens, regardless of whether it was legitimate, at least seventy percent of its inco ca from them. They were practically a cash cow.
It was also the most popular item in every black market.
The black market bosses wouldn't easily pass up this money-making opportunity. This competition was clearly the perfect stage. As long as a contestant could brew a Hallucinogen, even if they lost, the bosses would treat them like an ancestor afterward.
"It's too late to buy betting slips now, right?" Zhou Chen asked, looking at Li Xiangyang.
"Right. Once the competition starts, no more bets can be placed. However, the slips that were sold earlier can be freely traded. You can see the current sale status of each contestant's betting slips over there." Li Xiangyang pointed to a screen next to the betting slip window.
Before the competition began, the highest bets were on Billy. Zhou Chen, as expected, was in last place. The number of people who had bet on him was pitifully small.
"Then I can rest easy. Ti to make a killing."
Zhou Chen said with a smile, then stood up and walked toward the competition floor.
"After a short break, the second round of the competition is about to begin!"
The female host's voice bood from every speaker. Gamblers who were in the bathroom hurried up, not wanting to miss the exciting part.
"In the last round, contestant Zhou Chen left a deep impression on us, winning the first round with his unique Alchemy thod. I wonder if he'll pull another stunt in the second round."
"As everyone has seen, the the for the second round is Hallucinogen. This is a very difficult potion to brew, requiring Alchemists to infuse 'emotion' and 'pleasure' into it. As the saying goes, a Hallucinogen that can't induce pleasure is just garbage. I wonder if our contestants are ready."
"The warm-up ti is down to five seconds! Let's count down together: Five... four... three... two... one!"
"—The competition... begins!"
As the female host made her passionate, soaring declaration, confetti cannons exploded, and a thirty-minute countdown appeared on the large screen.
"When it cos to Hallucinogens, I'm an expert!"
Billy wore a confident smile as he began to process his materials.
"Heh, Billy-boy, you're still too young. When it cos to creating pleasure, no one can compare to yours truly!" Goblin Ah Bin pushed up his glasses and grinned, looking equally determined to win.
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