Chapter 164: Simulating the Theft of the Black Crow's Sorrow Formula

"That's a possibility!" McCoff, who had just finished his meditation, stroked the beard on his chin and said gravely, "But it could also be that they're preparing for the next storm."

"Could that really be the case..." Ryley turned to look out the window, his thoughts drifting to his wife, Crina, and his son, who existed but whom he had never met.

"Well, the chances that it's ending soon are probably higher," Rhett muttered without saying much more.

He then left the Number 1 Sub-Fort and headed to the alchemy workshop—he hadn't seen Hank in over two months, and as the lord, it was time to pay him a visit.

The winter snow blanketed the camp, covering the streets in white. Rhett trudged through the falling snow, striding toward the alchemy workshop.

Along the way, he greeted many familiar faces, smiling in return. After two months back at the Gorge Defense Line, he found that he knew more and more people in the camp.

Before long, he arrived at the alchemy workshop area.

After showing his identification, Rhett was allowed to pass through and reach Blueleaf Castle.

However, he was stopped at the gate and could not enter.

The rules of the alchemy workshop were stricter than those of the execution grounds. After all, the workshop housed secrets like the formula for Black Crow's Sorrow, so only alchemists were allowed inside.

Rhett had sent someone to notify Hank, and he stood outside waiting, admiring the castle's blue crystalline surface. He thought to himself, "But... someone like Hank, a temporary alchemist, shouldn't have access to top-secret knowledge like the Black Crow's Sorrow formula. Otherwise, bringing it back to the territory would greatly enhance the family and the land's foundation..."

With this thought, Rhett sighed twice.

Suddenly, a flash of insight struck him.

"Wait! I have the Real Simulation ability, so why should I be limited by how to obtain the Black Crow's Sorrow formula in reality? I can just simulate and find a way to record the formula!" Rhett's eyes sparkled as he gazed up at the heights of Blueleaf Castle, lost in thought.

To be safe, Rhett immediately activated the system.

[Do you want to activate Real Simulation? Each day simulated costs 1 Destiny Point.]

"Yes!"

The ripples in his vision had just dissipated when, after a few seconds, Hank walked out of the castle gate. When he saw Rhett, his face lit up with joy and excitement. "Lord Rhett, long time no see!"

"Hmm, Hank, it's great to see you again!" Rhett took two steps forward to greet him, looking Hank up and down. "How have you been adapting to the alchemy workshop these past few months?"

"Not bad. There are a few alchemists here who are more skilled than I am, and talking to them has really helped me gain a lot of experience," Hank replied with a smile.

Rhett nodded, pondering for a moment. He glanced at the castle gate and the rows of stern-faced knights on either side before pulling Hank by the arm. "Come with me."

Hank looked a bit surprised but followed Rhett to an empty spot. "Lord Rhett, what's going on?"

"Yes." Rhett's expression grew serious. "Have you heard anything about the Black Crow's Sorrow formula?"

Hank's pupils shrank, and his expression changed. He glanced around cautiously before whispering, "Lord Rhett, why are you asking about that? I'm only a temporary alchemist; of course, I don't have access to top-secret information like Black Crow's Sorrow!"

"Do you know where the Black Crow's Sorrow is being made?" Rhett pressed.

"I don't," Hank shook his head.

Upon hearing this, Rhett frowned deeply but then suddenly brightened, as if recalling something. "But do you know where those high-level alchemists are making their potions?"

"High-level alchemists?" Hank frowned in thought and then slowly said, "I do know of two: one is Moss, and the other is Yumi. One of them manages our entire alchemy team at Blueleaf Castle, and I've sought advice from her several times, learning a lot each time."

"Moss... Yumi..." Rhett repeated the names, squinting slightly. "Do they show up often?"

"They rarely come to Blueleaf Castle—about once a week on average," Hank said, his voice trembling. The more he listened, the more he felt something was wrong. A horrifying thought crossed his mind, and he tentatively asked, "Lord Rhett, you're not planning to go after the Black Crow's Sorrow, are you?"

Rhett looked at Hank, pausing for a moment before saying, "Yes! If we can secure that potion, it would greatly enhance our territory."

Hank fell silent, staring at Rhett as if he were mad.

"This place is highly guarded. How could the two of us possibly get our hands on something like that?" Hank's eyes widened as he tried to dissuade him.

Rhett replied in a low voice, "Don't worry, nothing will happen! You just need to do what I tell you!"

Rhett's intense gaze locked onto Hank, whose incredulous expression made Rhett sigh inwardly.

He understood how Hank felt. If he were in Hank's position, he would definitely think he was crazy too! Faced with such an impossible task, Rhett's eyes darted as he came up with a persuasive idea. "Hank, I'll let you in on a secret. I possess an artifact that can reverse time, but my memory remains intact. So, as soon as we get the formula, I'll memorize it and activate the artifact, returning to the past to avoid any danger!"

Hank blinked, staring at Rhett even more strangely.

"Still don't believe me!" Rhett shook his head with a sigh.

"How about this: tell me a secret that no one else could possibly know—something only you know!" Rhett thought of a plan. "When I activate the artifact and go back in time, I'll use that secret to prove myself to you!"

Surely this method would work, right? After all, revealing secrets in the simulation had no consequences in reality.

In the end, anything that happened in the simulation would disappear into nothingness once it ended!

"When I was six, I...," Hank started to share an embarrassing childhood story, but then he stopped. A strange thought crossed his mind—what if Lord Rhett was telling the truth?

"Forget it, I'd rather not share something that could make me a laughingstock," Hank thought. Instead, he said, "Ahem. When my younger brother was five, he lost his sense of taste for a while and once mistook goat droppings for candy."

"Uh..." Rhett gave Hank a strange look but said no more. He ended the simulation.

As the ripples faded, Rhett found himself once again standing a few meters away from the gate of Blueleaf Castle.

Reflecting on the conversation he had just had, Rhett exhaled softly, sorting out his plan.

He immediately began a second simulation.

[Do you want to activate Real Simulation? Each day simulated costs 1 Destiny Point.]

"Yes!"

Once again, Hank emerged from Blueleaf Castle. Upon seeing Rhett, he was filled with the same joy and excitement. "Lord Rhett, long time no see!"

Watching the scene play out exactly as before, Rhett smiled slightly and took two steps forward. "Hmm, Hank, it's great to see you again! Come with me; I have something to discuss."

This time, Rhett efficiently led Hank to the open area and, with a serious expression, said, "Hank, just listen carefully. I'm going to tell you something important: I have the ability to reverse time. Right now, I plan to record the Black Crow's Sorrow formula. I need you to help me find out where it's kept. Share with me all the information and clues you have!"

Hank blinked, still looking at Rhett as if he were mad.

Seeing Hank's reaction, Rhett sighed. He had expected that no one would believe such an outrageous story. Shaking his head, he said, "Alright, I've actually told you all of this once before. In a previous timeline, you didn't believe me either."

Hank's expression turned peculiar as he frowned, deciding to hear Lord Rhett out.

"So, I asked you for a secret as a code. If I can reveal it, you should believe me, right?"

"A secret? What kind of secret?" Hank's interest was piqued, curious about what kind of joke Rhett would come up with.

"Your younger brother, when he was five, lost his sense of taste for a while and once mistook goat droppings for candy."

The words Rhett casually spoke were like a thunderbolt in Hank's ears, sending shockwaves through his mind.

"What? The lord is telling the truth? He... actually has the ability to reverse time!"

Hank's pupils contracted, and he gasped, staring at Rhett with a mixture of fear and reverence.

The ability to reverse time—this was something not even a Saint-level powerhouse could achieve!

He took a deep breath and looked at Rhett with newfound awe, swallowing nervously. "Lord Rhett, does this ability have any limits?"

"Yes, only a day's worth. So we must act quickly," Rhett said urgently. "Don't worry about any danger—if things get too risky, I'll reverse time before anything happens! You just need to help me get the Black Crow's Sorrow formula!"

"Alright!" Hank's previously hesitant gaze turned resolute as he agreed.

The two quickly exchanged ideas and formulated a plan.

Hank then went back into Blueleaf Castle on his own.

As he walked up the stairs to the second floor, he couldn't help but feel a surge of mixed emotions. "No matter if what Lord Rhett said is true or not, if he's not afraid of the danger, then why should I be?"

Sighing, Hank continued on to the second floor.

Thud, thud, thud.

He ascended the stairs, walked down the dim blue corridor, and kept going until he reached the deepest part, where a metal door stood. Taking a deep breath, he knocked twice.

Knock, knock, knock.

"Come in."

"Oh, it's you, Hank. What brings you here?" An elderly man in a black robe smiled at him. In front of him were numerous alchemy instruments, with green liquid boiling in the alchemy pot, filling the air with a pungent smell.

"Mr. Thomas, my lord has come by to inform me that the war will soon be over. In gratitude for your guidance during this time, he wants to present you with a parting gift."

"Oh? I don't accept gifts..."

"But it's a handwritten note from an alchemy master."

"Well, I can't refuse such a sincere gesture," the black-robed elder's expression turned serious. He then hastily stood up and headed outside. "Hank, take me to meet your lord. He must be a great and generous man, and I must get to know him!"

Hank, following the elder out of Blueleaf Castle, could only watch as Thomas hurried off. His lips twitched, but he quickly caught up.

The black-robed elder was the resident steward of Blueleaf Castle and the deputy head of the alchemy team. Although the head was rarely seen, the elder was responsible for all matters related to alchemy.

Being stationed at the rear of the camp, far from the battlefield, the elder didn't concern himself with the fighting. His main task was to oversee the production of potions.

Given the relative safety and security of the camp, the elder never suspected any kind of conspiracy.

And indeed, without Rhett's simulation ability, there was no way he would have had the courage to attempt something so risky in such a heavily guarded location.

When the elder left Blueleaf Castle and stepped outside, he saw Rhett not far away, holding up a small booklet.

The elder's eyes lit up, and he hurried over with great anticipation—after all, this was the notebook of an alchemy master!

If he could study it carefully, it would save him years, if not decades, of detours in his alchemical studies.

In the elder's mind, whether Rhett was sincere in his gift or whether he had other motives—such as seeking favors or profit—didn't matter.

He was willing to comply, as long as he could get his hands on that notebook.

With a grin, he approached Rhett. "Mr. Rhett, I've heard about your generous gift. Do you really have a notebook from an alchemy master?"

Rhett smiled faintly. "Indeed, it's right here. Mr. Thomas, feel free to take a look."

As he handed over the booklet, he noticed the elder's eager expression and the way he had let down his guard.

Wasting no time, Rhett cast Seismic Slam!

Rumble, rumble, rumble!

The ground trembled violently, and the distorted space caused the elder to stumble, losing his balance and falling to the ground.

"W-what are you doing?" Thomas cried out in fear, instinctively shouting.

Wind Blade

Whoosh!

Hank seized the opportunity, sending two wind blades that instantly severed the elder's legs!

"Ah!" The elder let out a blood-curdling scream.

Rhett's gaze grew cold as he stepped forward. "Where is the formula for Black Crow's Sorrow, and where is it being made?"