Chapter 46 If you can’t handle it with Shuai, use your hands

The passion for work raised Old Wang's body temperature, and he took off his coat to tackle the challenge!

Round two!

...

The alchemy workshop was open all night. The basic workshops on the ground floor were fine, but some of the intermediate and advanced workshops upstairs often saw senior students or teachers staying up all night—or even for several days—quite regularly.

Tonight’s night shift was Mapeier’s duty.

The evening job was actually quite easy; no one would come by. Those who stayed up late were busy in their own rooms, and Mapeier only needed to walk around periodically to check if any windows had been blown open.

She had already patrolled the third and second floors, where seven rooms had red cards indicating occupancy. Mapeier dared not disturb them, but when she checked the room at the far end of the ground floor, someone was still there?

Had they forgotten to flip the card upon leaving? Or was someone sleeping inside?

Mapeier was afraid of disturbing anyone and cautiously pushed the door open a crack to take a quick peek. But just this glance revealed something amiss.

Inside was a guy wearing a Rose Holy Sanctuary shirt, energetically concocting potions.

This...

Duty-bound, Mapeier instinctively pushed the door wide open.

Old Wang had been happily brewing.

To be honest, after adjusting his mindset and lowering his expectations, his success rate had indeed improved. After about 150 attempts, he had successfully made twenty bottles. At this rate, finishing the thirty bottles Yin Fu needed by morning seemed entirely possible!

He had just succeeded with another bottle and was about to praise himself for his brilliance when someone barged in.

"Who are you, how did you get in here!"

Old Wang was startled and quickly looked over.

He saw a slim girl with a round face, delicate features, and fair skin. She wasn't stunningly beautiful but certainly not ugly, and her black-rimmed glasses added an academic charm, giving her a strong vibe of a friendly junior sister. Even from a distance, one could sense her innocence and... vulnerability.

Phew, phew!

Old Wang wiped his sweat secretly, calming his nerves, and said confidently, "I'm Wang San Shi, disciple of Teacher Chacha, helping her brew potions. Move along, you're not supposed to be here!"

"Really? How come I don't know about this? You’re not from Judgment, are you?" Mapeier was speechless. She was Chacha’s disciple herself, albeit an assistant-level one, but had never heard of a fellow student named Wang.

"Little junior sister, how dare you insult me!" Old Wang decided to turn around to show off the fancy clothes Fantasi had rented specifically for him.

But as soon as he started to turn, he realized something was wrong. Damn, when did I take off my coat?

"Oh, these are borrowed!" Old Wang instantly acted composed.

Seeing his confidence, Mapeier was taken aback and asked suspiciously, "Why would a Judgment student borrow Rose's innerwear? And Teacher Chacha..."

Before she could finish, Old Wang had already leaped from the workbench.

Mapeier was startled and turned to run, but as a standard alchemist, she wasn’t much faster than an average girl.

In her haste, she barely managed to turn before Old Wang grabbed her arm and pulled her into the room.

Bang!

Old Wang immediately shut the door tight.

Mapeier winced in pain from the grip on her wrist and tensed up. "What are you doing? This is Judgment Holy Sanctuary! I can shout and..."

"Shh..." Old Wang held her right wrist and elegantly pinned her against the wall, lifting her chin with his other hand. His biceps bulged, and his sweaty body exuded a strong masculine aura. His gaze, from above, was deeply captivating...

As the saying goes, old tricks always work. Dealing with such a girl, being 'handsome' could solve everything!

But before Old Wang could fully display his charm, Mapeier’s face turned pale, and her small mouth opened wide...

Smack!

A sharp sound echoed as he slapped her back.

Her fair face bore five red marks from his hand. Mapeier covered her face, tears welling up. "How could you hit me..."

"What if I do? If you scream, I’ll make you throw up yesterday’s dinner!" Old Wang’s expression turned menacing, and he clenched his right hand fiercely in front of her, though it didn’t produce the same cracking sound as Karida’s joints. Nevertheless, the intimidation was effective.

"I’m a triple-trained warrior, mage, and witch, and I don’t hesitate to kill!"

Mapeier’s face paled, but she stubbornly said, "You... you... you dare!"

Wang Feng’s eyes were filled with disdain and threat. Since arriving at this place, he finally experienced his own strength!

Mapeier finally showed some fear. "What do you want?"

Wang Feng sized her up, knowing she had given in. He pressed his ear against the door, using his soul power to check outside. Thankfully, there was no commotion.

What now?

Abandoning her halfway was impossible.

Killing her was also out of the question. While he wasn’t a saint, he wasn’t a murderer either.

Eyeing the long rope Fantasi used to tie boxes, Wang Feng found his solution.

Bingo!

"Don’t speak, or I won’t be gentle!" Saying this, Wang Feng tied her up, ... but as he did, he noticed something odd. Damn, what kind of figure is this? With the loose clothes tightened, it was quite a sight.

His nose started to bleed.

Having no choice, Old Wang changed the binding method, trying to avoid vital areas as much as possible. He made sure to cover her hands and feet, and stuffed a cloth into her mouth.

After completing his masterpiece, he patted his hands in satisfaction.

"Little girl, stay here obediently for your grandpa. You'll be fine, blink if you understand!"

Mapeier hesitated slightly but finally blinked her eyes reluctantly.

There was no turning back now; such an opportunity was rare, and he had to push through.

He had expected the girl to struggle a bit, but surprisingly, she remained quiet, staring at Wang Feng without moving or causing any trouble, seemingly resigned to her fate.

"What are you looking at? Haven't seen a handsome guy before? Don't get obsessed with me, close your eyes!" Wang Feng couldn't help but complain after one failed attempt.

Mapeier obediently closed her eyes.

It was unclear whether it was because of the gender dynamic making work easier or the threat beside her that brought out some inexplicable potential.

The refining process in the second half of the night went surprisingly smoothly, compensating for the earlier failures. After finishing 200 batches, he managed to produce 38 bottles.

Old Wang let out a long sigh, wiping his sweat, feeling as though all his energy had been drained.

Performing beyond his usual level felt great.

Glancing at the girl bound tightly, he noticed her eyes were still clear and alert, showing no signs of fatigue. As soon as she saw him, she closed her eyes again, her long eyelashes trembling slightly in fear.

Old Wang understood; if he had a dirty rag stuffed in his mouth, he wouldn't feel sleepy either.

This place wasn't safe to linger in!

He packed up all the finished potions. Since there were no markings on the box Fantasi had brought, he didn't need to worry about disposing of it deliberately. The leftover dregs could be left alone.

He quickly gathered everything, intending to leave immediately, but then he reconsidered and turned back.

Old Wang took out a bottle of Eagle Eye and a cloth. "Open your mouth!"

Mapeier stubbornly shook her head, but Wang Feng forced her mouth open and poured the entire bottle of Eagle Eye down her throat. The strange liquid gave her an odd sensation she had never experienced before.

Wang Feng grinned at Mapeier: "Do you know what this is?"

Mapeier blinked and shook her head.

"This is called the Ultimate Three-Step Hellish Ghost's Woe. Within an hour, you won't be able to stand, shout, or use soul power, otherwise... your body will rot from the inside out, causing unbearable itching, like countless ants..."

Old Wang was still choosing his words when Mapeier nodded obediently.

He placed a small knife within reach behind her: "Cut the ropes yourself once the effects wear off."

If she believed his bluff, everything would be fine. Even if she didn't, the thick rope Fantasi used to tie the box would take her a while to wear down.

Feeling elated, Old Wang pinched Mapeier's soft cheek and adjusted her glasses: "Mapeier, right? See you later... drink less milk in the future."

With this initial capital, he could start his plan. Even if someone found this girl, it wouldn't matter much. At worst, they might trace it back to him, but by then, he'd be long gone.

………………

The door closed, leaving the dark room with a trembling figure and a stubborn gaze, evoking sympathy.

One minute, two minutes...

Her eyes still held fear, as if she truly believed Wang Feng's words, staying motionless and not even touching the nearby knife.

Five minutes, ten minutes...

Despite the lingering fear on her face, her eyes gradually became calm and somewhat blank, like a frightened little girl lost in the darkness.

Half an hour passed, and suddenly, the silent room filled with 'whooshing' sounds as the air stirred, as if countless invisible threads were being pulled back from all directions.

Using Soul Threads to detect and manipulate soul power into fine threads for reconnaissance.

The panic and fear vanished from Mapeier's eyes, and the thick ropes binding her shattered instantly. She stood up with a grim expression.

She hadn't stayed still because she was scared by the fake three-step potion disguised as an Insight potion; she was merely wary of a trap!