Chapter 158: Section 159: Alchemy Arms


    “`


    This was an enormous square, at least four hundred meters in length and three hundred meters in width by estimation. By comparing it to the stature of the big guys standing around, the height seemed to be around four meters.


    The ground was very smooth, not laid with tiles, but made of single pieces of white metal. Not just the ground, but the walls and ceiling were made of this metal as well.


    On the ceiling, there were also strips of blue light sources.


    In the square, there were boxes of various sizes. The largest boxes were even bigger than the Molten Giant Turtle, and the smallest ones were three meters long, two meters wide, and one meter high.


    The boxes looked like they were made of iron, but they were actually made of ironwood.


    On the surface of these ironwood boxes, there was red paint depicting various letters and numbers, such as Em-096, Sg-734, ID5D-VR-862, and the like.


    ...


    After confirming there were no enemies in the square, Jia Sha clasped the Holy Emblem on his chest and began to pray silently with his head bowed.


    A few breaths later, Holy Light descended.


    Divine Arts—Detect Traps.


    There were no traps around.


    Divine Arts—Detect Magic.


    In an instant, within the range of detection, almost all of the boxes lit up with dazzling brilliance. This proved that almost all contained items related to magic.


    Divine Arts—Detect Mechanism.


    Similar to the previous detection of traps, no mechanisms were found.


    After a series of detections, Jia Sha, with a satisfied expression, ordered, “Open these boxes.”


    The first small box was opened.


    What met everyone’s eyes was a layer of dry and fluffy straw.


    After removing the straw, everyone saw bundles of arrows.


    These arrows were dark red in color, with surfaces resembling rusted metal. Someone tried to pick one up and found that it was very light, lighter than an egg.


    “These are Alchemy Arrows—Flame Arrows,” Zi Di recognized with a twinkle in her eyes.


    Bang bang bang.


    One after another, the small wooden boxes were pried open in succession.


    Inside, there were almost exclusively Alchemy Arrows.


    Flame Arrows were the majority, but there were also Frost Arrows, Rapid Flow Arrows, Wind Needle Arrows, Smoke Arrows, Slow Arrows, Flash Arrows, and more.


    The variety was vast, and the quantity was astounding.


    Many swallowed hard, having never seen such an astonishing scene before.


    Alchemy Arrows were expensive to make, and it was quite rare to see them packed in boxes like this.


    “Can we use these arrows?” Sanda, intrigued, caressed the shafts of the arrows like someone caressing their lover’s skin, full of passion.


    Zhenjin, Zong Ge, and the Guardian Knights, on the other hand, appeared indifferent.


    As a Mercenary Group squad leader, Sanda always had limited financial resources and rarely used such costly consumable weapons. But whether for Zhenjin or Zong Ge, the Guardian Knights, these Alchemy Arrows were part of their standard equipment. And the quality would only be better, not worse, provided officially through channels of the Holy Bright Empire.


    Zi Di picked up several arrows and examined them closely. After a moment, she shook her head in disappointment, “The arrays on these arrows are only subsidiary arrays. They need to be used in conjunction with a main array to truly unleash the power of the Alchemy Arrows. Otherwise, simply shooting them would be less effective than our homemade wooden arrows.”


    However, Sanda was not disappointed; instead, he looked even more excitedly around at those unopened boxes.


    “There must be crossbows inside these!” Exclaimed the former Mercenary Group squad leader, unable to contain his excitement.


    Thus, everyone’s enthusiasm for opening boxes grew even stronger.


    More and more boxes were opened.


    This time, the most discoveries were arrowheads and bullet tips.


    Most of the arrowheads were triangular, with a few in shuttle shape, some with barbs. The arrowheads came in different colors with crystal-like textures, yet not transparent—rather, they were semi-opaque.


    “These arrowheads are usable! They only need a certain degree of impact to activate,” stated Zong Ge.


    As a former officer, the Half-Beast had served in the army for many years and was familiar with some common equipment.


    Then came the bullets.


    These bullets were spherical, the small ones about the size of an adult’s fingertip, and the large ones two or three times the size of the small bullet heads.


    These were bullets for flintlock guns.


    The various sizes matched the popular models of flintlock guns on the market.


    Like the arrowheads, the bullets also required only the standard impact force to activate.


    But no one had a flintlock gun in their hands.


    After opening a box taller than a person, they discovered neatly arranged smaller boxes inside.


    “What is this?” after opening one of the smaller boxes, someone pulled out an explosive dumbbell.


    The dumbbell seemed to be made of glass, storing liquids inside; half appeared to be yellow oil, and the other half seemed like red water.


    Curiously, the oil and water were distinctly separated and did not mix with each other.


    “`


    “Put it down gently, don’t shake it.” Hei Juan’s face turned pale, his tone trembling faintly.


    Many people gathered around at the sound.


    Zong Ge’s gaze sharpened: “Explosive dumbbells…”


    “Sway fun,” Sanda said, revealing the nickname for the weapon.


    There was a significant quantity of explosive dumbbells, and likely, every box shaped like this contained them.


    “It seems this place is indeed the War Merchant’s Alchemy Factory,” Jia Sha confirmed again.


    This weapon was a signature product of the War Merchants. Upon violent shaking, two liquids would mix together and explode after a set time. The resulting fire would cling to the target and burn intensely for a duration. The burning temperature was tenfold that of ordinary flames!


    This throw-and-go weapon was renowned, with lower-rank mercenaries humorously calling it sway fun, a laugh leading up to meeting the Death God.


    “Ha ha, we’ve finally found it!” Sanda laughed loudly after a moment.


    They had finally discovered Alchemy Crossbows within the larger boxes.


    However, Sanda’s smile soon faded, and a look of distress crossed his face.


    This was because magic was still banned in the underground factory, rendering these crossbows ineffective.


    “There are guns here too.”


    Loads of flintlock guns, all products of alchemy.


    But like the crossbows, they were low-level alchemy tools, rendered useless by the environmental restrictions.


    “These bullets seem to be made of bone?”


    Amidst the box of flintlock guns, people found a twisted, bone-like, elongated form of special bullets.


    Upon seeing these, Jia Sha’s expression darkened instantly.


    Zi Di also appeared puzzled: “Resentful Bullets? Aren’t these Black Braid’s signature products?”


    These bullets had come into the market over the last hundred years and had been selling like hotcakes.


    They harnessed the power of Undead Magic, which annually claimed the lives of Empire high-ranking officials. This was the case not only in the Holy Bright Empire but across other continents as well. sea??h thё novёlF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Undead Magic, a magic school that rose to prominence in recent centuries, was bizarre and fierce, and conventional defenses were significantly less effective against it.


    Anyone revealed to be an Undead Mage was immediately a wanted criminal, everyone their enemy.


    The founder of this school of magic, known as You Can, had an untraceable race. Some said he was once a Beastman Great Shaman, others said he was a Desecration Priest who had stolen much Divine Power. His most significant identity was the Ancestor of the Undead, currently sixth on the most-wanted list, even higher than the War Merchant.


    And Black Braid was a newcomer amongst arms dealers over the past century.


    She was a Dark Night Elf.


    “Why would her signature product be here?” Zi Di wondered.


    Jia Sha scoffed coldly, “Simple, Black Braid is just another fake identity of the War Merchant.”


    With few boxes left, people finally turned to the large ones.


    “Let’s see what’s hiding inside this one. Wow, what a big, thick fellow,” Mu Ban whistled.


    It was an Alchemy Cannon!


    The black cannon body adorned with golden patterns exuded toughness and dominance. Beneath the cannon was a silvery-white base forming a cannon mount.


    “This is a Golden Level Alchemy Cannon!” Zi Di’s eyes shone with excitement.


    This meant that the Alchemy Cannon might be operable in the current conditions.


    “There are matching bombs inside too!” someone exclaimed with a new discovery.


    The spherical bombs seemed to be solid shots, varying in color, but what they had in common was every bomb’s surface depicted a roaring Dragon Head.


    “These are the Thunderous Dragon Roar Bullets,” Zi Di murmured.


    Thunderous was a giant and a recently emerged new arms dealer of the past century. The Dragon Roar Bullets were his trademark.


    Hearts sank among the crowd.


    This suggested that Thunderous, the rising star arms dealer, might just be another identity of the War Merchant.


    “Doot—! Doot—! Doot—!”


    At the very moment they dragged out the Alchemy Cannon, a piercing alarm echoed throughout the plaza, and simultaneously, the blue lights overhead shifted to flashing red.


    “Alert! Alert!”


    “Intruders in the shipping warehouse, intruders in the shipping warehouse.”


    A mechanical voice resonated across the plaza.


    Everyone’s expressions turned grave.


    “The Tower Spirit?!” Jia Sha’s face turned ashen.


    “This underground Alchemy Factory might just be the War Merchant’s Mage Tower.”


    “Get ready, we have a fight coming!”