Chapter 140: Chapter 83: Focus and Protect the Heart! The Storm is Approaching!_3
Su Changkong looked shocked, yet somewhat suddenly enlightened.
“You’re not as foolish as you look,” said the man in black, unsurprised that Su Changkong could guess his identity. Anyone who paid a bit of attention to the happenings within the Giant Whale Gang would know it was currently divided into two factions, and since he had mentioned that Sikong Huang had commissioned him for Alchemy, it was only normal for Su Changkong to figure it out.
Soon after, Su Changkong said with a face full of wariness and helplessness, “I’m aware of the matters between the Deputy Gang Leader and the Gang Leader. But if the second miss asks me to concoct Pill Medicines, I can’t possibly refuse. Likewise, if the Deputy Gang Leader asks me to concoct Pill Medicines, I must also give it my all. That’s my duty as the Giant Whale Gang’s Alchemist.”
Su Changkong understood that his trouble had arisen because he had quietly agreed to concoct Pill Medicines for Sikong Huang, drawing Meng Sang’s people to him, likely to give him a warning. But Su Changkong didn’t want trouble and clarified that he wasn’t recruited by Sikong Huang, nor had he sided with the Leader Faction. If Meng Sang’s side also sought his assistance for Alchemy, he would do his best.
“Enough, that’s not why I’m here,” the man in black interrupted. “You’re going to Sikong Huang later, aren’t you? I want you to help her concoct Pill Medicines… but you have to fail!”
This statement startled Su Changkong; the man in black’s intention was clear: he was asking Su Changkong to intentionally slack off and make the Alchemy process a failure!
“But… isn’t that against the rules?” Su Changkong frowned.
“Heh heh! I’m not discussing this with you,” the man in black chuckled, then coldly continued, “However, rest assured, if you do us this favor, we’ll owe you one. Think it over! Right now, the Deputy Gang Leader is on the rise. As for who will call the shots in the Giant Whale Gang in the future, that’s hard to say!”
Having said this, the man in black stood up, his figure swift like the wind, darting out of the house and closing the door behind him as he vanished into the snowy night.
Once the man in black had left, the fear and apprehension on Su Changkong’s face disappeared, and he frowned deeply, “This is… really troublesome indeed!”
Sikong Huang had requested Su Changkong to secretly concoct Pill Medicines for her, which were intended for healing, likely needed by her or someone else. But once Meng Sang learned of it, he wanted to interfere, sending someone to threaten Su Changkong into making a deliberate mistake in the process, leaving Sikong Huang’s efforts futile.
If Su Changkong’s concoctions all turn out failures, Sikong Huang might not realize it. Although she had assured him that she wouldn’t blame him even if all efforts fail, would she truly hold no grudge if the failures indeed happened? Su Changkong wasn’t so sure about her.
Besides, if Su Changkong were to comply with Meng Sang’s request and prevent Sikong Huang from getting the Pill Medicine she desired, selling this favor to Meng Sang would be tantamount to joining Meng Sang’s faction!
For Su Changkong, who only wanted to quietly practice Alchemy without getting involved in the Giant Whale Gang’s factional disputes, this was undoubtedly undesirable.
“This is really a dilemma!” Su Changkong felt helplessness in his heart. Being neutral had never been an easy stance, and while he didn’t want to take sides, external forces were pressuring him!
Heavy with worries and when the appointed time came, at deep night, Su Changkong headed to Sikong Huang’s residence to concoct the second batch of Pill Medicine.
Deep inside, he considered whether to tell Sikong Huang about the recent events, but he quickly discarded the thought. Telling her would mean completely alienating Meng Sang!
Distraught with internal conflict, Su Changkong’s second attempt at concocting Pill Medicine inevitably failed.
Sikong Huang didn’t blame Su Changkong, but instead comforted him, “Elder Su, you don’t need to feel too much pressure. Just do your best. You should go back and rest now, regain your spirit.”
To Sikong Huang, who was showing such tolerance to a boy two or three years her junior, even though the Condensing Spirit Protecting Heart Pill was very important to her, she wouldn’t show any displeasure at Su Changkong for the failure.
“Alright, then I shall take my leave,” Su Changkong replied, feeling a vague sense of guilt in his heart; he felt influenced by the words of the man in black and hadn’t given his all in concocting this second batch of Pill Medicine.
“If I fail at Alchemy three times in a row, no one will believe that I did it on purpose. I’ll have Liu Geng convey a message to Meng Sang, telling him I just want to be an Alchemist.”
Returning to his room, Su Changkong silently thought to himself.
Of the two evils, he chose the lesser. Although he felt slightly guilty towards Sikong Huang, for the sake of future peace, he decided to slacken his efforts a bit – after all, even if he tried his hardest, success in the third attempt wasn’t guaranteed!
With such thoughts, the night of the third day arrived.
“Again?”
But to Su Changkong’s dismay, on the third night while lying in bed, he heard the sound of someone leaping over the courtyard wall and landing. He immediately felt irritated – why had they come again?
Soon after, the room’s door was violently pushed open, breaking the latch replaced just that day. Another man in black appeared inside the room.
Su Changkong pretended to be startled, “Why have you… come back again?”
The man in black sat down by the table, chuckling, “Don’t be nervous. I’m here today because there’s something I need you to do.”
“What is it?” Su Changkong held back the anger in his heart, asking in response.
The man in black took out a small vial from within his robes, placing it on the table and looking at Su Changkong, “Today, when you go for Alchemy, you may exert your full abilities to ensure its success, but you’ll need to add a little something extra to the mix.”
“What’s this? Poison?” Su Changkong looked horrified, and in truth, he was indeed shocked, thinking that Meng Sang was truly malicious!
The Condensing Spirit Protecting Heart Pill that Sikong Huang was concocting was meant for healing, most likely for herself or someone significant to her. The vial that Meng Sang’s man had brought was without a doubt poisonous.
If Su Changkong were to mix this into the Alchemy process, the consequences for the person taking the Pill Medicine concocted by Sikong Huang would be dire.
As the one responsible for concocting the Pill Medicine, it would be all too easy for Su Changkong to tamper with the process.
“What concern is it of yours what the medicine is? Just do as you’re told!” the man in black raised an eyebrow.
