Chapter 171: Dean An's Good Neighbor

Ji Ming stared blankly for three seconds before finally figuring out what kind of thought and feeling the other party wanted to express.

Damn, is it actually the perpetual motion machine that amateur scientists love but physics teachers hate?

Moreover, from his description, this is even the Promax version of the magic world.

So…

Ji Ming lowered his tone solemnly.

"If this subject could succeed, it would overturn many people's perceptions of the magic field and benefit many areas; it's a very important matter."

"Therefore, even though I haven't studied it deeply, I have some understanding of it and hope to make a breakthrough."

Mo Shou lowered his head, continuing to check and revise his notes, while chuckling lightly and praising.

"Although you look amateur, speak amateur, and exude an amateur vibe, your act of looking professional is actually quite professional."

"I..."

Ji Ming was momentarily at a loss for words, unable to speak, and felt embarrassed for a long while.

"... Never mind, professional talents are more or less a bit eccentric."

Moreover.

"Great comeback! Grandpa has already memorized this line; it'll definitely come in handy next time."

However, for Mo Shou, that remark seemed merely an offhand comment.

Because he maintained a composed expression, his eyes never left the notes.

Seeing that the other person was serious, Ji Ming then asked.

"Since the resurrection began, you've been frantically recording in the book; did that final experiment actually let you discover something?"

"Of course!"

Mo Shou's face showed a bit of confidence, and he generously handed over the writing in his hand to Ji Ming.

"Come look—at the brink of life and death, I finally attained the ultimate wisdom that could make my name go down in history!"

"Wow, what a big surprise!"

Ji Ming quickly took the notebook and eagerly unfolded it to look.

"Uh..."

"An inscrutable geometric pattern, a fish head inexplicably marked with an X."

"Plus a short segment of layout resembling poetry, but the content is completely meaningless, eccentric writing."

"—I swear, what the hell is this gibberish; who can understand this?!"

He flipped through the pages in a rush, and only then did he finally see some normal stuff that people could understand.

【Raw materials: two bottles of whiskey, three lava fruits, seven flame-bird feathers……】

【Production method: pour the scorching magic pig meat into a pot to render the fat, then add the diced lava fruit and sauté until fragrant……】

Slowly, Ji Ming furrowed his brows.

"Are you sure this is the method for making a magic perpetual motion machine?"

"Huh?"

Mo Shou, who had his arms crossed over his chest waiting for praise, froze for a moment.

"When did I ever tell you I discovered the basic principle of a zero-loss magic power cycle?"

"Then what did you give me?"

"Obviously it's a potion that makes the body feel warm and resists the cold of snowy mountains!"

The more he spoke, the more excited he got, and he jumped straight onto the nearby wooden table.

"I lived for five hundred years, died for five thousand, and between life and death I finally conquered my homeland!"

……

"Sigh, I should have known earlier."

Anyway, since the other party proactively shoved it at him, Ji Ming, after recording the whole production process, filed it away as the formula for a super cold‑resisting potion.

But being able to invent a new potion also proves the other party is absolutely a genius, so Ji Ming brought him to High Tower Castle.

Learning combat techniques requires a spacious venue, but the key difficulties of magic actually lie more in the sea of consciousness.

So Ji Ming had no intention of letting Mo Shou, the magic instructor, stay in the training ground; instead, he specially opened a small hall for him in the castle.

Coincidentally, there is a library here, and under the dual restoration of the system and the little boss, all the books have been fully restored.

A magic researcher from a thousand years ago paired with an ancient library from ten thousand years ago is actually quite a fitting match.

The only shortcoming is probably……

"Not bad, from now on you'll be here……"

"Wow, is that the eighteenth notebook of the Great Sage Louis? I thought it had been out of print a thousand years ago, but I didn't expect to find it here!"

……

"Alright, as long as you're happy."

Actually, before bringing Mo Shou here, Ji Ming also had the little boss search through all the books in this place.

But ten thousand years ago there was no such profession as an apothecary, so there was no pharmaceutical knowledge for him to draw upon.

Looking at the piles of gold and silver filling the room, bound by ominous fate, he could only let out a faint sigh and turn to leave.

But just as he lifted his foot, he saw Mo Shou suddenly pull out that notebook again, quickly filling a page like a human typewriter, tearing it off and handing it to himself.

"Upper God, are your eyes injured?"

"This is a remedy I happened upon that can quickly heal eyes; you can take it and try it."

"My eyes are injured?"

"How would I not know?"

Ji Ming was half‑believing, half‑doubting, so he had to return to the Clinic and take a look in the mirror.

……

Damn, so a single true glance actually has aftereffects!

On his eyeballs, several scorch‑marked lines had appeared, and the broken lines connected to each other, forming a circle around the pupil.

The shape…

It really suits a minor who debuted as an idol, secretly gave birth to a son and a daughter, then resumed activities, only for fans who learn the truth to come and stab them to death!

Thinking of this, Ji Ming quickly opened the potion formula that Mo Shou had given him and took a look.

Although they are all relatively common ingredients, since he doesn't run a material shop, many items are simply not in his storage.

He went to the window and looked; all the lights in the opposite Sick Tree Materials Store were completely off.

The elderly all go to sleep early, and since he didn't make an appointment, they're definitely resting now.

Sigh, disturbing them at this hour isn't appropriate; I might get beaten with random sticks…

Never mind, it's not urgent; I'll deal with it when daybreak comes.

So Ji Ming decisively chose to set up, spreading the bed and lying flat.

He stared straight at the ceiling for ages, yet felt no drowsiness coming.

He then recalled that he had been sleeping all day, so now trying to sleep, he simply couldn't.

And after tossing and turning for a moment, he felt he had forgotten something…

Right, he had already finished preparing all the internal test content, so now is his long‑awaited "spare time", isn't it?

Thinking that, he promptly rolled over and rushed to the wardrobe.

Beside the doctor's white robe, the pharmacist's black robe, and the divine‑chosen holy robe, a black garment unlike any other was hidden.

This sleek, smooth attire can cover the face and fits perfectly; it's the night‑clothing he had prepared in secret.

Even though a Breath‑Sealing Talisman exists, Ji Ming isn't afraid of being discovered.

However, to be safe, he didn't bring any of the signature "Doctor Ji Ming" gear this time.

A hammer used for lock‑picking and activating the "Knocking Staff", a small iron crossbow for silent assassinations, and a hidden "Hidden Dragon Dagger" tucked under the black leather gloves…

Fully equipped, he checked once more, then slipped out the window of the Clinic and slipped into the darkness.

Since the Outer City is so chaotic, the Inner City naturally won't be peaceful either.

On the wide roads, one occasionally encounters tax collectors patrolling with magical lanterns.

After entering the Mercenary Alliance's territory, the violent units patrolling everywhere turned into the Alliance's very special "Self‑Purifiers".

This is why Feiman and An De Lu have firmly occupied the top two seats.

The so‑called Self‑Purifiers are selected only from the mercenary corps under their command.

In other words, thanks to this "system", they hold life‑and‑death authority over any other mercenary group within the Alliance.

That may sound exaggerated, but if they truly wanted to kick an inferior mercenary group out of the circle, they'd just need to raise a hand and pass a resolution.

And compared with the collectors, the Self‑Purifiers' equipment is a tier higher.

The armor on their bodies has many sections made of refined steel, with an average level one or two tiers higher; a single one against eight opponents would be a crushing match.

Moreover, because it's a mercenary settlement, the East District's buildings look identical, and only a few truly colored spots exist, making it extremely easy to get lost at night.

But this isn't a problem for Ji Ming; he had already drawn an action map, marking every landmark on the route.

Passing through the opulent Nightingale Alley, skirting the tall, cold coliseum, he wound his way and smoothly arrived near An De Lu's manor.

As one of the most powerful locals, his residence couldn't possibly be just a two‑story house like Ji Ming's.

In fact, it's a sprawling estate, and the guards that occasionally appear on the tower and walls suggest it's almost a half‑mercenary garrison.

However, with the Breath‑Sealing Talisman, they're just a bunch of blind eyes.

So Ji Ming snorted coldly and easily scaled the wall to get in.

…Ah, not yet climbed.

He reached out to feel the smooth wall and suddenly realized a serious problem.

—Although his Qi and blood are high, he can't climb walls; quietly scaling the wall seems impossible.

Fortunately, as history writes, every impregnable fortress has an insider to breach it from within.

Ji Ming didn't linger long at the doorway; at the end of the road, a middle‑aged man in aristocratic attire, swaggering left and right, walked up.

He arrived at the door and shouted loudly.

"Larry, hurry up and come out to open the door!"

From his inexplicably loud tone and flushed face, he was probably drunk.

Soon, a figure wearing a steel helmet appeared on the wall.

"Captain Galami, Lord An De Lu has ordered that doors must not be opened casually at night!"

"Not open the door casually? Do you want me to sleep on the street!"

Galami tossed aside two women and began searching his own body.

"Damn, I left all my money in Nightingale Alley!"

Spitting saliva everywhere, he cursed, then raised his fist and started kicking.

"Quickly open the door for me, or tomorrow I'll hang you in the square!"

Larry twitched his lips, as if saying something extremely out of line.

But there's nothing he can do; a higher official can crush people, who wouldn't fear being stepped on?

He could only whisper.

"Hurry and open the door, don't let him keep shouting."

The subordinates had no objection, and quickly went down to pull open the iron gate.

However, how could they possibly know that behind Jia La Mi there could still be a little tail following?

By the time they hurriedly shut the door, Ji Ming had already sneaked in.

Thanks, Jia La Mi-san.

Ji Ming covered his nose and offered his heartfelt thanks.

The stench of those two low-quality cosmetics you found is really too strong, huh? We've come to this filthy place—can't we get something better?

Since it's a manor, beyond the gate there's nothing but a guard post, then vast greenery and a plaza.

The sculptures on the little lake might be worth some money, but trying to take them down would be too much trouble.

So Ji Ming didn't linger here; instead, he headed straight for the tallest building in the manor.

Following the mercenary who opened the door, he went inside and suddenly felt his eyes light up.

And it was literal—his eyes lit up because he had activated One-Eye True Sight.

... The armor on both sides, though just thin decorative plating, could still be worn normally; if sold on the market, pieced together, a single piece would cost no less than one gold coin.

... The porcelain vase in the corner is also a genuine masterpiece by a master; if sold on the market, you couldn't get it for less than ten gold coins.

Keep moving forward.

... This pile of ornaments is even more awesome—though not pure gold, the content isn't low either; each can sell for five gold coins, and if it's a set, the value could double!

But Ji Ming still didn't move, because An De Lu had been extorting money here for years and accumulated so much wealth; he didn't believe the stuff displayed here was the most valuable.

As a thief, one must be bold and careful; if something like this could trip you up, how could you still be one of Sunshine City's three good neighbors?

Avoiding the three guards walking toward him, Ji Ming pricked up his ears to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"Today Master An De Lu bought a lot of equipment again, but do we really need it?"

"Hey, the master has plenty of money. He can buy whatever he wants; it's not for us to decide."

"You, you'd better watch your mouth; if the master finds out you're badmouthing him behind his back, he'll surely whip you to death!"

"Oh come on, I know that—I was just muttering."

"Buy equipment?"

"Can he not buy it?"

"After all, yesterday's batch of equipment let me steal..."

"No, what does 'steal' even mean?"

"This is our orderly side's business—can that even be called stealing?"

"This is luck—the luck of robbing the rich to help the poor!"

"This building doesn't seem to be a residence but rather something like an office building."

So Ji Ming went up a few more floors, found a relatively luxurious office.

A man with an eight-character moustache was there seriously reading a book, nodding as he went, looking like he'd gained much.

He's probably a captain within the mercenary band, right? Is he looking at something confidential?

Ji Ming hurriedly adjusted his angle, wanting to see clearly what was written on that book.

Damn, your XP is really weird!

"What sound?"

Just like anyone doing good deeds, the moustached man, upon hearing a slight noise, instantly became alert, lifted his head, shoved his precious trinket back into his bosom, and looked around.

There was naturally nothing in the office, so he could only knock on his own head, lamenting that he was perhaps too sensitive.

"Sigh, maybe it's because the master stored that important batch of equipment in the eighth warehouse on the left after going left, left, right on the third basement level, making me overly nervous."

Having withdrawn the Suggestion Technique, Ji Ming exhaled and sneaked out.

Damn, I've gone the wrong way—the good stuff is underground, but I ended up on the upper floors.