Gamers Are Fierce-Chapter 679 - 677: Poison
"Your Alchemy leveled up?"
Chaichai's eyes widened in excitement. "So what can you do now?"
"A lot."
Li Ang smiled. "Intermediate Alchemy allows me to use an Alchemy Array to rapidly initiate chemical reactions, causing atoms from broken molecules to rearrange and form new molecules."
He picked up a cup from the dining table, poured filtered water into it, placed the cup in his palm, and activated his Alchemy.
The water in the cup immediately rippled with effervescence; a multitude of tiny bubbles rose to cling like pearls against the sides of the glass.
"Electrolyzing water to produce oxygen and hydrogen—one of the simplest chemical reactions."
Li Ang deactivated his Alchemy, smiling as he continued, "This technique might seem simple, merely shortening the preparation required for normal chemical experiments, reducing time costs, and enhancing stability. But in practical applications, its value is boundless. As long as I have the raw materials, understand the chemical reaction equations, and am given enough time, I could theoretically produce any complex substance.
"For example, consider Roc Sand Anemone toxin. This non-protein toxin, isolated from Palythoa zoanthids, has a toxicity far stronger than any man-made nerve agent or naturally occurring tetrodotoxin. It can cause intense constriction of the coronary arteries within three to five minutes, leading to heart failure, vascular necrosis, and death. Toxicity is one aspect; the difficulty of extraction is another. Nature's sea anemones, through eons of natural selection, accidentally learned to produce Roc Sand Anemone toxin (PTX). However, in the laboratory, synthesizing PTX is incredibly difficult—it has 2 to the power of 71 stereoisomers, making it the most potent and structurally complex non-peptide natural biological toxin known. With the aid of Alchemy, however, I could follow the synthesis routes developed by research teams, using linear and convergent synthesis to achieve mass production of PTX."
Li Ang spoke with considerable pride, "This isn't my achievement, but rather thanks to the trailblazers throughout human history. Intermediate Alchemy simply employs a transcendent force to shorten chemical reaction preparation times and lower the stringent laboratory environment standards. However, it still fundamentally adheres to the synthetic process. If it weren't for the pioneers who, through great labor, boundless imagination, and practical skill, discovered the synthetic routes for complex compounds, I wouldn't be able to do anything."
"...Why do you sound so proud when you're just talking about standing on the shoulders of giants and imitating?" Chaichai gave a sidelong glance and retorted.
"You don't understand," Li Ang shook his head. "Imitation is an instinct etched into our DNA. It's thanks to imitation that the earliest hominids who learned to use forest wildfires could preserve the skill of maintaining campfires, passing it on, inheriting it, and spreading it. Imitative behavior itself preserves human civilization and can be considered entirely just and righteous."
Chaichai's mouth twitched. It let out a sigh before asking, "...I feel like you're subtly dissing someone. Besides making nerve toxins, what else is this skill useful for?"
"To be an outstanding and brave new chemist, or a cold-hearted, destruction-obsessed individual who enjoys coaxing chemistry into explosive outcomes," Li Ang laughed. "In the early days of chemical development, those two descriptions more or less meant the same thing. An explosion is a chemical reaction, and its process must simultaneously fulfill three conditions: first, the reaction must be exothermic; second, it must proceed at a high rate and be self-propagating; and third, during the process, it must generate a large quantity of gaseous products.
"Although explosives from modern military factories are already very powerful, some extreme chemical substances can only be produced under rigorous laboratory conditions. Their molecules are so unstable and reaction rates so high that they're even more dangerous than factory-made explosives. For example, azidomethane, or nonmetallic azides. They are malevolent demons nurtured by nature, born with a furious roar of hatred towards the world. A slight change in temperature or a minor disturbance of their suspension, and they go BANG! sending everything in the vicinity, including the chemist, sky-high.
"Anyway, I won't be synthesizing this stuff in the Breeding Box or the Alchemy Workshop. Maybe I can find a secluded place, have a Brain Worm remotely control swarm units to draw the Alchemy Array while wearing the Mirage Dragon Coat, and then I'll activate the Alchemy remotely using vines. If I manage to produce it, I'll stash it in my inventory and save it as a parting gift for an enemy when the time comes."
It was only because Li Ang had become physically robust and acquired the Mirage Dragon Coat that he dared to consider synthesizing large-scale, highly explosive materials. In the past, he would definitely have yelled with disgust, "Take it away! These damn stinky chemicals!"
Chaichai tilted its head, thinking for a moment, still unable to imagine what kind of explosion would be enough to scare Li Ang.
Forget it. I'm not going to think about it anymore.
Chaichai shook its head, then turned to Li Ang and asked, "Hey, now that your Alchemy is at an intermediate level, does that mean you can upgrade the Alchemist's Magic Box?"
"Mm-hm." Li Ang nodded, pouring the water from his cup into the kitchen sink. "Follow me."
He led Chaichai into the Pet Breeding Box, then into the Alchemist's Workshop. The floor still bore the chalk traces of an Alchemy Array. A Brain Worm was perched atop a three-meter-long centipede with chitinous limbs, holding a mop and broom to clean the floor.
"You can leave; you're not needed here anymore," Li Ang instructed offhandedly. The Brain Worm, controlling the giant centipede, humbly bowed its head. It shouldered the mop, broom, and bucket, then crawled out with a soft RUSTLE.
"That's Double Blade Turkey," Chaichai said, looking at the retreating figure of the giant centipede. "It's one of your most loyal followers. It prays the longest during Holy Temple feasts and dances with the most dedication. I've made it the lead singer of the chorus during the weekend hymn sessions at the Temple of Benevolent Father. If it performs even better, perhaps I'll allow it to be promoted to head chef for the Holy Communion, making burgers and fried chicken for the other Brain Worms."
"..."
Li Ang's eye twitched. The Brain Worms initially had no sense of taste. However, due to Lady Saint Chaichai's strong insistence and forceful arguments, Li Ang had installed this function for them. This allowed them to appreciate the sacred flavors of fried chicken, burgers, and cola.
"Anyway, let's get to work." Li Ang sighed and placed his palm on the floor of the Alchemy Workshop. This item had been with him for too long; now, it was finally time for an upgrade.
In front of him appeared a detailed description of the Magic Box, along with a line of text: "Detected that the player's Alchemy has reached intermediate level. Pay 10,000 Game Coins to upgrade the Damaged Alchemist's Magic Box."
[Confirm Payment]
The balance in the player's panel instantly dropped by 10,000, and the entire Magic Box began to tremble violently.
---
(Py recommends a book! "Super Mechanical Master"
Han Xiao, a top-level grinder in "Star Sea," was thrown into the ranks of transmigrators by a mysterious force from the East (the author), becoming an NPC with a player panel. He returned to the time before the open beta of "Star Sea" and resolutely chose the Mechanical System, the most difficult specialization.
Battlefleets traverse the Star Sea, Star Mecha soar like dragons, Ghost Energy Cannons obliterate everything, and an endless mechanical army waits quietly in his portable warehouse.
One man, an army!
If it weren't for the players, this book would be a serious and solemn tale of transmigration to a different world...
As an NPC, he has all the standard NPC functions for player interaction... Issuing quests? Adjusting favorability? Teaching skills?
Hey, wait, I recognize all these players!
Turns out, the real world has also regressed ten years.)
