Chapter 383

The 'Dwarf in the Flask' is the boss and mastermind of this world; it is not a human.

Four hundred years ago, the royal family of the ancient kingdom of 'Xerxes' created the Dwarf in the Flask in pursuit of eternal life. It was synthesized using the blood of the plot's protagonist's father, Van Hohenheim.

To show gratitude for Van Hohenheim's 'birth grace,' the Dwarf in the Flask taught Van Hohenheim alchemy.

The royal family of the ancient kingdom of 'Xerxes' wanted to obtain the method for eternal life, so they ordered the Dwarf in the Flask to create such a method.

The Dwarf in the Flask agreed, but it had its own conspiracy. It deceived the royal family of the ancient kingdom of 'Xerxes' and set up a large-scale transmutation array within the ancient kingdom of 'Xerxes,' transmuting all citizens into a Philosopher's Stone.

The Dwarf in the Flask, having obtained a large piece of the Philosopher's Stone, became powerful. It transmuted itself into a homunculus, with an appearance identical to Van Hohenheim.

Van Hohenheim was originally a slave of the ancient kingdom of 'Xerxes,' named Number 23. However, the Dwarf in the Flask gave Van Hohenheim a name and helped Van Hohenheim re-transmute his body, allowing Van Hohenheim to gain eternal life and eternal youth.

As long as the Dwarf in the Flask does not die, Van Hohenheim can live forever.

Van Hohenheim began to wander, like a ghost with nowhere to settle. He was already immortal and had nothing to pursue.

After wandering for 380 years, Van Hohenheim met a woman. Van Hohenheim felt that his current life was too boring, so he decided to start a family.

The family was established. Although Van Hohenheim was immortal, he was still a normal human, so after he and the woman united, the woman gave birth to two sons, named Edward Hohenheim and Alphonse Hohenheim, respectively.

During the brothers' childhood, Van Hohenheim grew tired of his current life and went out to wander again.

The brothers' mother died of illness not long after. Edward Hohenheim developed hatred for his father's act of abandoning his wife and children, and from then on, he changed his name, using his mother's surname, calling himself Edward Elric; his younger brother also changed his name to Alphonse Elric.

The two brothers went out to learn alchemy in their childhood. Alchemy has a taboo, which is that human transmutation is not allowed.

The young brothers could not care about this; they wanted to resurrect their mother, so they performed human transmutation.

The materials for human transmutation are very simple; a child's pocket money is enough to purchase them. But the brothers did not know that the most necessary thing for human transmutation is a human soul. Without a soul, even if a body is transmuted, it is completely useless.

The two brothers failed to transmute their mother. Not only that, the older brother, Edward Elric, lost a leg, and the younger brother lost his entire body.

Actually, their human transmutation succeeded, but what was transmuted was not their mother, but their younger brother, Alphonse Elric.

Alphonse Elric's loss was more severe than his brother's; he lost his entire corpse, and his soul was extracted and forcibly stuffed into that transmuted body.

Souls and bodies have a compatibility rate; if the compatibility is insufficient, they will reject each other. Just as the younger brother Alphonse was about to die, the older brother Edward Elric used an arm as the price to fix his brother's soul onto a suit of full-body armor.

The two brothers gradually grew up. The older brother became the Fullmetal Alchemist, using mechanical prosthetic limbs to replace his lost arm and leg. In order to retrieve both of their bodies, the older brother was willing to become a hound of the state, becoming a State Alchemist, and the two brothers began their journey to retrieve their bodies.

Taboos cannot be violated; all those who touch taboos do not have a good ending.

Body, soul, and spirit are all indispensable. More importantly, the dead cannot be resurrected; this is the iron law of the Fullmetal Alchemist world, the will of the world.

Going against the will of the world is equivalent to seeking death.

"Human transmutation, even if it succeeds, so what?"

Su Xiao lay on the bed. He had once asked Reincarnation Paradise if it could resurrect the dead. Reincarnation Paradise's answer was: because Su Xiao is a Hunter, he cannot.

The implication was that Reincarnation Paradise could actually 'resurrect' his parents, but that would be a replica. It wouldn't be his parents being resurrected, but a replica, so what would be the point of that?

The dead are gone. The living can cherish memories, but they must not desecrate the dead in order to find spiritual sustenance.

"All misfortune is caused by insufficient ability."

The cell was quiet. Just at this moment, a scratching sound came from the wall next door; it was Xiang Ignoring Bubu Wang.

"Woof."

Xiang Ignoring Bubu Wang let out a whine, his eyes full of anger. That look seemed to say: 'This dog is hungry, when is dinner?'

"Xiang Bubu, be quiet."

Su Xiao was waiting. The quest deadline was very long; his waiting period was two days. If he couldn't get out of prison within two days, he would break out.

Rapid footsteps approached, and a group of guards rushed to the cell door.

Su Xiao looked up and saw an officer standing at the cell door.

"This aura..."

Su Xiao looked at the officer. The other party was not human; he could be certain. This feeling was as if countless wronged souls were wailing within the other party's body.

"Open the door."

The officer spoke, and those guards opened the door reluctantly, as if they were about to release a flood-like beast.

"Crimson Alchemist, now I'll give you a chance to get out. Are you willing to serve the military again?"

Su Xiao narrowed his eyes. It came faster than expected. It seems that because the quest difficulty is relatively high, his identity received preferential treatment.

If he didn't have the identity of a State Alchemist, the one-month quest deadline would be far from enough.

"Looks like you're prepared to let me out. Are you providing 'stones'?"

Fighting for the 'Amestris' military is fine, but he won't use his own alchemy bombs unless the other party provides a Philosopher's Stone.

"Of course."

The officer spoke, his eyes seeming to be thinking about something.

"That's good."

Su Xiao sat up. A guard walked forward holding keys, but he didn't open the iron cangue on his hands.

"You bastard..."

The guard looked at Su Xiao through gritted teeth, his hands shaking the whole time.

"Execute the order!"

The officer gave a low shout, looking coldly at the guard.

Click, the iron cangue was opened. The guard suddenly felt a sense of guilt; he didn't know how many people this alchemist in front of him had killed.

"Right, and my dog."

Xiang Ignoring Bubu Wang was in the next cell. At this moment, Xiang Ignoring Bubu Wang was pressed tightly against the iron bars, his eyes full of anticipation. If Xiang Ignoring Bubu Wang could speak, he would definitely say: 'Master, you must take me with you, they don't provide food here.'

Xiang Ignoring Bubu Wang was soon released. The guards' gazes were intentionally or unintentionally looking at Xiang Ignoring Bubu Wang, as if they wanted to pet his head. His 43-point Charm attribute is not just for show.

The prison release procedures went very smoothly. Taking off that gray-white clothing, Su Xiao changed into his usual clothes and put on the 【Storm Gale Trench Coat】.

It is nighttime now, and the Storm Gale Trench Coat can increase attributes and stealth.

……

An old-fashioned jeep was driving on the road, with Su Xiao and Xiang Ignoring Bubu Wang sitting in the back row, and the officer in the front row.

"Letting you out this time is to deal with someone. We are short-handed. Although it wouldn't matter if the entire army of this country died, it's not the time yet. Don't kill military personnel recently."

As soon as the officer finished speaking, his appearance changed rapidly, turning into a young man with long black hair.

The young man's hair color was black, and his hair was very peculiar, as if it had just been washed and was sticking together in strands.