Chapter 20 Alchemy Laboratory (2)

There was also experimental data regarding the Iron Earthworm nearby.

《Iron Earthworm》

Average body length: 3.2 meters.

Average diameter: 1 meter.

Strength: Knight-level (slightly stronger than a knight).

Endurance: Beyond Grand Knight-level, extremely strong.

Reaction speed: Knight-level.

Linear speed: Unqualified! (Can’t catch up to a horse) There are messy scribbles here, indicating frustration when writing this part.

Tooth hardness: Level 3 hardness.

Recovery speed: Level 3 healing.

Digestive capacity: Level 2 digestion.

Materials: 10 kg of earthworms, 10 kg of refined iron, 500 g of yellow jasper powder.

Manufacturing process: Add the raw materials to the Iron Earthworm prototype machine and follow the detailed steps to complete the production. Afterward, place the Iron Earthworm eggs near an iron ore deposit, and the Iron Earthworm eggs will absorb the iron ore nutrients to grow.

Growth cycle: 30 days.

Lynn was familiar with the rankings of tooth hardness and recovery speed.

In the first notebook that Angley gave him, there were relevant records.

This was the wizard’s evaluation of an item’s hardness, with established standards.

Some materials with extremely high hardness could even withstand the bombardment of high-intensity spells without deformation.

Level 3 hardness was already quite high. In the wizard’s assessment criteria, level 3 hardness belonged to high-hardness materials, and they generally had resistance to spells. Zero-ring spells would typically find it challenging to damage materials with level 3 hardness.

Earthworms and refined iron were not rare materials and could be found almost anywhere. The only rare item was the yellow jasper powder.

This should be related to alchemy, a subject that Lynn was not yet familiar with.

In terms of combat power, the Iron Earthworms didn’t have particularly strong frontal combat abilities.

If Lauren were to be considered as a combat unit, judging from the strength he displayed when he punched the Iron Earthworm away just now, if Lauren were fully armed with armor and weapons, the Iron Earthworm might not be his match in a head-on fight.

However, in a complex underground terrain, with the Iron Earthworm launching a sneak attack first, Lauren would also be in great danger.

Combat was never a simple comparison of data.

Real combat experience, the terrain, the environment, and the element of surprise were all crucial factors determining success or failure.

The main issue was that the Iron Earthworm could move freely underground, making it more stealthy and threatening than ordinary monsters.

But there was also a treasure.

Since he was the creator of the Iron Earthworm, he naturally had corresponding means of control.

For wizards, no matter how they created alchemical puppets, mutated monsters, fused monsters, or subjugated familiars, there were corresponding control methods.

It could also be understood as a secret door to these monsters.

On the nearby table, a metal wristband lay quietly.

This was the control metal wristband.

All Iron Earthworms created through this metal device would naturally be under the control of the metal wristband.

Lynn picked up the wristband. The metal wristband had ten small holes, but only two of them were currently lit.

Lynn connected with the wristband using his mental power and sensed the two units under the wristband’s control.

And these two units were not far from this location.

At the same time, Lynn could perceive a feeling of “fear” emanating from them.

The source of this emotion was none other than Serena, not far away.

Lynn’s gaze fell upon the massive lizard.

Its body was over five to six meters long, and although it was lying on the ground, the front half of its body, with its raised head, reached a height of nearly two meters.

“You can take this laboratory,” Serena said.

Lynn looked at Serena, full of surprise and suspicion.

Did this big lizard know it was a laboratory?

Moreover—and Lynn wasn’t sure if it was his imagination—Serena’s “reasoning” seemed to be getting stronger.

Serena turned and walked away, heading outside the cave.

Lynn fell silent. Initially, he thought this lizard was a sentient monster captured by his teacher. However, from their recent interactions, it didn’t seem to be the case.

But why did his teacher keep it hidden so deeply?

Thinking about Serena’s increasingly logical thinking ability, Lynn had a bold guess forming in the back of his mind.

Regardless, this time, Lynn felt he owed Serena a big favor.

For Lynn, this Alchemy Laboratory held a different kind of significance. It meant he could continue completing his daily tasks.

Putting on the metal wristband, Lynn issued a command. “Come here!”

Soon after the command was issued, the ground not far away cracked open, and two Iron Earthworms emerged from the earth. Compared to their length and diameter, they seemed a bit chubby, with their head portion resembling two metallic membranes.

With the metal wristband on his wrist, Lynn could sense the emotions of these two Iron Earthworms— awe.

“You two stay in the ground and follow me. Don’t come out without my command,” Lynn ordered the two Iron Earthworms.

Then, right in front of Lynn’s eyes, the two Iron Earthworms burrowed into the ground and disappeared.

Lynn walked over to a shelf, where on the topmost level of the metal rack, there was a cubic metal block.

This was the core of the Alchemy Laboratory.

Lynn took the cubic metal, and as he infused it with his mental power, it behaved like a magic staff. 

The smooth surface of the cubic metal slowly cracked open along a fine seam.

The seam spread and rotated, resembling a metallic Rubik’s Cube.

The surrounding space, like a light behind a closed door, transformed into a beam of blue light, and was absorbed into the metallic Rubik’s Cube held in Lynn’s hand.

As Lynn infused it with his mental power again, the metallic Rubik’s Cube rotated and opened once more. A beam of blue light poured out from the seams, creating a flat expanse of space around.

After some simple experiments, Lynn confirmed the existence of this folded space. It existed independently of the real world.

It could be controlled in two different states.

Lynn named the first state “Concealed Mode.”

In Concealed Mode, the outside world couldn’t see the interior of this space, and the space itself couldn’t observe the outside world. Simultaneously, the metallic Rubik’s Cube would exist in the outside world, which was one of its only drawbacks.

The second state Lynn named “Open Mode.”

Just like when he first saw this space, the outside world could see the interior within a certain distance, but they couldn’t directly enter it. Inside the space, one could also see the outside scenery. Only beings allowed by Lynn could enter this semi-open space.

The first state might be safe, assuming the other party didn’t understand magic.

Lynn suspected that if a wizard could create this folded space, they likely had means to destroy or forcefully enter it. So, the first state wasn’t absolutely secure.

Lynn went to the fragments of the golden door and moved them into the folded space of the Alchemy Laboratory for storage.

In the kingdom, these golden fragments were undoubtedly worth a fortune.

At least Lynn would no longer have to worry about money.

Lynn held the Rubik’s Cube, accompanied by Lauren, and walked towards the cave exit.

Compared to the journey here, leaving was much simpler. They just had to keep walking outward.

However, halfway through, they suddenly heard footsteps and voices coming from the cave ahead.

Inside the mine, a group of eight people walked further inside.

These individuals still carried the lingering scent of alcohol, holding oil lamps in their left hands and pickaxes in their right.

The leader of the group was burly and imposing. He spoke in a deep voice, “Have those monsters disappeared?”

The man beside him was slightly shorter and bald, a red-bearded fellow in a vest. He replied, “I saw a wingless dragon coming and devouring all those monsters.”

“Why would there suddenly be monsters in the mine? Could it be that we’ve opened the seal to hell?” the red-bearded man speculated.

“There’s no such thing as hell—poverty is the greatest demon!” the burly leader scoffed.

“Do you all want to go back to being as poor as you were at the beginning?” the leader continued sternly.

The surrounding miners remained silent.

This was also the reason why, despite their fear, they had rushed over.

“There’s indeed something strange about the door deep underground. That’s why I warned you all not to break through the door completely. Try to distribute the drilling evenly, and don’t take too much at once. If you take too much, it’ll be hard to hide it on your person. If the overseer finds out, none of us will get anything!” the burly leader explained.

They continued walking downwards, and none of them noticed that among the stones by the cave wall they passed, there was a metallic Rubik’s Cube hidden.

As the burly leader looked at the other miners around him, a hint of malice flashed in his eyes.

These people were too foolish!

And they lacked insight, easily tempted by a small benefit.

If it weren’t for the fact that five miners had discovered the door at the same time, he wouldn’t have wanted to share it with anyone.

The more people who knew, the greater the risk of exposure. He had repeatedly warned them not to tell anyone.

But in just a few days, the number of people who knew had expanded from the initial five to the current nine.

Some of these miners were from out of town, but most were locals. Despite the hard work in the mine, the wages were decent, so many local men worked there. They had strong family ties and friendships, especially among the miners who enjoyed drinking. Sometimes, after a few drinks, they couldn’t resist bragging.

He didn’t actually like drinking, but in order to supervise these people, he gathered with them every day.

However, he knew that secrets couldn’t be kept forever.

With so many people knowing the secret, it was only a matter of time before it leaked out.

That’s why he had been secretly accumulating gold over the past few days, waiting for the right moment to leave. With that gold, he could go wherever he wanted to live a good life.

As for his wife and daughter back home, the burly man had no intention of taking them with him. Having too many people would only be a hassle.

Soon, they arrived at the deepest part of the mine, where their secret was hidden.

Looking at the collapsed stone wall in front of them and the remnants of the vanished golden door, some miners couldn’t believe their eyes. They hurriedly ran forward a few steps and searched through the rubble.

But they found nothing.

“Who sneaked back here?”

Some people became anxious, their faces turning red, their necks bulging.

“Was it you? I saw you leave for a moment while you were drinking.”

“Is your brain filled with shit? I went to use the toilet because I had diarrhea. Besides, it was just for a short while. It’s impossible for me to run from the tavern to here in that time.”

Listening to the buzzing arguments around him, the burly man felt annoyed and was about to speak up.

Suddenly, he felt the ground beneath him give way. The earth and stones under his feet crumbled into emptiness, and the lower half of his body plunged into a viscous yet firm substance.

In his panic, he used both hands to support himself on the ground beside him. He wanted to see what it was, but he felt an excruciating pain in his chest.

The next moment, he saw a massive object fall from the overhead rock wall, swallowing the head and body of another person in one go.

This colossal creature wriggled in place like a giant maggot. From its mouthparts at the top, a trickle of red blood flowed.

The burly man murmured unintelligibly as he, with only the upper half of his chest remaining above the surface, emitted only faint moans from his throat.

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