Chapter 437: Introduction—This is Director Jiang Cheng

437. Chapter 437: Introduction—this is Director Jiang Cheng

"Director Jiang, welcome to join our Alchemy Workshop; on behalf of all Alchemists, I welcome your joining."

In the Director's Office of the Alchemy Workshop, a man wearing rectangular glasses, looking about fifty, extended his hand and said solemnly.

"Director Ma, you are being modest; being able to join the Alchemy Workshop is also my honor."

Jiang Cheng immediately replied, extending his hand to shake hands with the other.

Indeed, the person before him is his superior, the sole Director of the Alchemy Workshop.

"Director Jiang, you are being modest; please sit, I'll brew you a cup of tea."

"Director Ma, you are too modest."

"It's fine; from now on we're all colleagues, and not to hide it from you, the Alchemy Workshop has only ever had me as Director, the pressure's heavy; now you share some of it, which is just perfect."

Ma Ming said this, placing a steaming cup of tea in front of Jiang Cheng.

"Director Jiang, this is our local specialty, Clear Heart Tea; after drinking it, it refreshes the mind. Please be sure to try it."

"Thank you, Director."

Jiang Cheng smiled, then asked curiously: "Director, was there no Deputy Director before I arrived?"

"Well, there was one a few years ago, but that person went out to gather herbs and met with an accident."

A faint dimness appeared on Ma Ming's face.

"Sorry, Director, I didn't know about this; otherwise…"

"It's okay."

Ma Ming waved his hand, "This doesn't concern you, and it happened several years ago, all over now. Normally, a vacant Deputy Director spot would be filled—outside it's like that—but here at the academy, it's different."

He said, blowing on his tea, took a sip, a look of rapture on his face. After setting the tea down, he continued: "Here at the academy, to become Director you must meet the requirements. For example, our Alchemy Workshop's Deputy Director must be at least a Ninth-level Alchemist—higher is better. If you don't meet that, even an Eight-level is insufficient. That's why the Deputy Director position has remained vacant for so many years."

"I see."

Jiang Cheng understood.

Combining the observations from the Principal's Office earlier.

It seems reasonable.

After all, a Deputy Director earns 200 Contribution Points per month, with generous benefits; correspondingly, the difficulty of obtaining the Deputy Director position also rises.

The same logic applies higher up.

"Director Jiang, from now on, this is your seat; I will sit at the desk behind you. If you have any questions, you can ask me at any time."

Jiang Cheng nodded.

When he entered, he had noticed three desks inside, likely corresponding to one main Director and two Deputy Directors.

At present, one matches him, but the other—who knows when it will be filled.

"By the way, Director Jiang, the Principal should have mentioned earlier that you need to teach the academy's students, right?" Ma Ming asked tentatively.

"Yes, I agreed with the Principal to set aside two afternoons each week to teach how to refine pills, but Director, I only know how to refine pills that accelerate Spiritual Power recovery, such as Spirit Nourishing Pill, Calming Pill, and Awakening Pill; I haven't tried other pills."

Jiang Cheng said honestly.

"No problem, no problem."

Director Ma waved his hands repeatedly, laughing: "Being able to refine one or two kinds of pills is already great, and I heard Director Jiang has already brought his mastery of these three pills to a perfect level; using five portions of ingredients to refine an entire furnace of Top-grade Awakening Pill is no trouble."

"As for me, although I'm a Twelfth-level Alchemist, I still don't have much confidence that I could, with only five portions of ingredients, refine an entire furnace of Top-grade Awakening Pill."

"Director Ma is being modest," Jiang Cheng laughed, "I heard the Principal say you can refine Fourth-grade Reviving Pill; Three-grade Elixir and Fourth-grade are not the same concept, let alone pills below Fourth-grade—you basically can refine all of them."

Thus, he still deeply respected Director Ma.

"Hey, why are you saying all this?"

Director Ma quickly replied, and from his uncontainable smile, he was indeed quite pleased.

"Director Jiang, each morning you must refine two furnaces of Top-grade Awakening Pill; that's what all teachers in our Alchemy Workshop must do."

"Also, how about this: every Tuesday and Friday you take half a day to teach the students alchemy? If I'm unavailable these two days, we can swap."

"No problem, I'll follow the Director's arrangements."

"Hahaha, fine, it's settled. Since most students' alchemy skill is low, just teach them to refine the basic Spirit Nourishing Pill. If some show potential, you can take them under your wing and teach them how to refine Second-grade Material pills; doing so the academy will grant contribution rewards."

"Got it."

Jiang Cheng nodded, "Besides that, is there anything else to note?"

"Hehe, that's all, Director Jiang should have some free time now, right?"

Seeing Jiang Cheng's puzzled look, Director Ma smiled: "Our Alchemy Workshop has over ten teachers in the large office next door; I'll take you to meet them and say hello."

"Alright."

Jiang Cheng gave a slight smile.

Although he didn't care much about relationships with other Alchemists, being new he didn't want to appear too aloof.

The two walked out of the Director's Office and went to the next room.

The large office's door was open, and several teachers inside were chatting idly.

A female student, head down, stood before a teacher, being scolded.

"How many times have I explained this point? You still choose wrong? Even this most basic thing you don't understand, yet you want to refine pills? I advise you to think carefully whether you have the talent."

"Dong dong."

Director Ma lightly knocked on the door, instantly drawing the attention of several people inside.

"Hello, Director!"

"Hello, Director!"

The teachers all greeted, then their gazes simultaneously examined Jiang Cheng, the newcomer.

They wondered in their hearts, could this be the Director's relative? The Director brought him over to ask them to look after him later? It's nothing, after all the Rebel Army are also people, with ordinary human feelings.

Even the students who had been scolded before and couldn't lift their heads also gathered courage to raise their heads, sizing up Jiang Cheng.

"Ladies and gentlemen teachers, let me introduce you: this person is the newly arrived Director Jiang Cheng of our Alchemy Workshop; everyone, give him a warm welcome."

Director Ma finished speaking and immediately started clapping.

"Clap clap clap clap."

However, no applause sounded in the room; several teachers were dumbfounded, staring wide-eyed at Jiang Cheng.

"What? This youth, who looks about the same age as the students here, is actually the newly arrived deputy director? Isn't he a relative brought by Director Ma?"

(End of chapter)