The next afternoon, Zhou Jing took the initiative to invite Marley for a meal.
Marley had originally planned to drag out the teaching and earn Zhou Jing’s money. Then, everyone would part ways happily. He did not expect Zhou Jing to treat him so enthusiastically.
To be honest, he was a little surprised and flattered.
All his previous apprentices who had been scammed… no, taught by him grew angry with him and parted on bad terms. If not for the fact that they were in the Furnace District, which had good public security, and the fact that he only scammed outsiders without any backing, Marley would probably have been put in a gunny sack and beaten up long ago.
He did not expect that, with his character, he would be able to enjoy such treatment one day… However, his self-awareness was still very clear.
Since someone was treating him, it would be a waste not to eat. Marley closed the shop and followed Zhou Jing to a local tavern with a good reputation.
The two of them ordered a lot of food and drinks. They ate and drank at the same time. Soon, Marley got a little inebriated.
However, Bill’s stamina was not as bad as his—remaining sober. Seeing that Marley was almost drunk, Zhou Jing asked about the formula indirectly.
Marley immediately became instinctively vigilant, brushing it off without revealing anything.
Even when he was drunk, his psychological defense was still strong. He was stingy by nature and sneered to himself as he thought.
“Little brat, so you’re treating me to a meal because you want to get my formula. Hmph, don’t even think about it…”
Although the formulas Marley had were all common potions, and there were many pharmacists who knew about them, he just didn’t want to give them out unless the other party had real money.
Seeing that Marley was tight-lipped, Zhou Jing did not ask further. He continued to pour wine into Marley’s mouth before generously paying the bill, making the other party happy.
Zhou Jing only helped the drunk Marley out of the tavern when it was close to curfew.
“Where’s your house? I’ll take you back.”
Zhou Jing asked in a low voice.
After learning from this person for a month, Marley had never invited an apprentice to his house. Zhou Jing had to ask around himself to know the way.
Marley swayed as he walked, so he could only accept Zhou Jing’s support. He opened his sleepy eyes to determine the direction and casually pointed the way.
The two of them passed through the winding alley and quickly arrived at a small house. Marley took out his key and opened the door before he suddenly held the door frame to block the way, not intending to invite Zhou Jing in.
“I’m here. You can go back by yourself,” Marley stuttered out.
“Alright.”
Zhou Jing nodded. However, he suddenly reached out and grabbed Marley’s shoulder, pushing him into the house. He hooked the door with his foot and closed it.
Marley was shocked. He wanted to pull Zhou Jing’s arm away with both hands, but he could not move his seemingly thin arm at all. He panicked, “You… What are you doing? Hurry up and get out. I’m going to shout!”
With that, he pretended to shout to attract the guards patrolling the street.
However, in the next moment, a large hand grabbed his neck and blocked any sound from coming out.
Zhou Jing lifted Marley with one hand and let him flail in the air.
“Don’t shout, or your neck will break if my hand shakes.”
Marley felt the gradually tightening force on his neck, and his face turned purple. He quickly compromised like a frightened quail.
Seeing this, Zhou Jing put him down and brushed the dust off Marley’s clothes with a smile.
“Yes, cooperate obediently. This will be good for you. Once I get what I want, I won’t hurt you.”
“Don’t… don’t do anything rash.”
Marley sobered up immediately. His lips trembled like a sieve. There was no trace of his previous arrogance.
He did not expect this stinky foreigner to have the guts to break in and rob him!
Marley couldn’t help but touch his neck, which had a red mark from the strangulation. At this moment, he was extremely flustered.
Why is this thin and weak guy so strong?!
Because of Jason’s relationship, Marley had a preconceived notion that the Bill in front of him was an “intellectual” and would not easily break the law. At least he was a decent person.
As long as he did not go overboard, it would be an economic dispute at most. It would not escalate to violence. At most, they would part ways unhappily. The other party would scold him and then look for other pharmacists to learn from.
After all, this was the capital. Even Imperial hunters had to follow the rules. Marley only felt that it was troublesome for Zhou Jing to know a hunter, but he was actually not afraid… He wouldn’t be afraid of a group whose duty was to protect the people.
Therefore, Marley did not expect Zhou Jing to do such a thing. However, now that he realized that Zhou Jing seemed to be a villain, he was really afraid.
Zhou Jing pulled Marley around the house. After confirming that there was only one person in the house, he put his arm around his shoulder and chuckled.
“I don’t mean anything else. I’m just curious about the potion formula in your hand. Show it to me, okay?”
“Alright…”
Marley did not dare to say anything else. In fear, he took out a tattered notebook from the bookcase and handed it to Zhou Jing.
Zhou Jing flipped it open and took a look. It recorded Marley’s experiences making potions over the years and the appendices of more than ten formulas.
Most of these formulas were common general-purpose potions, such as healing potions, invigorating potions, insecticide potions, and so on. In addition, there were two types of hunter potions, respectively, to increase heart and lung functions and reduce pain.
“Yo, you know quite a lot. No wonder you didn’t want to teach me.” Zhou Jing read it carefully a few times and silently noted it down. Then, he stuffed the notebook back into the bookshelf.
Marley did not dare answer and smiled sheepishly.
“Alright, don’t be so afraid. I won’t kill anyone casually.” Zhou Jing patted his shoulder and chuckled. “Remember, I only sent you home today to take care of the drunk you. Nothing else happened.”
“Understood, understood…”
Marley, of course, had no objections. He nodded repeatedly.
Zhou Jing smacked his lips before continuing, “Even if you want to report this case to the guards, there’s no evidence. Besides, you used a ridiculous price to recruit me as an apprentice. If others know that you’ve took so much money, who do you think will have the moral high ground?”
“I… I didn’t think that way.”
“If that’s the case, then all’s good. You’ve cheated me of a lot of money, but seeing that you’ve indeed taught me the basics, I won’t ask you for this sum back. The potions I’ve been making these past few days are also yours, so you’ll still earn quite a sum from it. Just treat it as having gotten a good deal and stop while you’re ahead. If you don’t know how to be satisfied and still want to cause trouble, I might get into trouble, but you’ll definitely understand how much your life is.”
Hearing this, Marley calmed down and suddenly realized it made sense.
In essence, he had still earned money, but it was just that he could no longer cheat this person.
Although the value of those formulas exceeded Zhou Jing’s efforts in the past month, if they were learned by others, they would not deprive him of the knowledge he had grasped. There would not be much substantial loss.
Seeing that Marley had sincerely agreed, Zhou Jing patted his shoulder in satisfaction and gave him a warning before leaving.
Marley immediately collapsed into a chair. His chest heaved, and his heart pounded. He felt like he had wandered around the edge of death.
He could not help but recall the past month. Zhou Jing had acted like an obedient apprentice, making him let down his guard. It was only tonight that he revealed his fierce side.
If he had known, he would have been more determined a month ago and shouted a higher price to scare this person away… Marley was vexed, feeling as though he had invited a wolf into his house.
Although he was depressed, he definitely did not have the courage to do anything else.
If he provoked this evil person again, he would only be even more unlucky. If he accepted this loss, he could still continue to enjoy life. Right now, Marley only wanted to quickly end this relationship and not get involved with Zhou Jing anymore.
...
The next day, the two of them met again at the apothecary, and Zhou Jing smiled as if nothing had happened last night.
However, Marley’s expression was stiff. He could only force a smile and did not dare to treat Zhou Jing with the same attitude as before.
After spending a day in a strange atmosphere, Zhou Jing finally made a request to end their apprenticeship. Marley felt as if he had been pardoned and could not wait to agree. He was just short of chasing him away with a broom.
Zhou Jing walked out of the apothecary with the hyena. He turned around and saw Marley standing by the door, watching him leave.
Sensing Zhou Jing’s gaze, Marley quickly retracted his head, not daring to look at him again.
Zhou Jing retracted his gaze, his lips curling up.
His Pharmacology level had already reached Lv4 mastery. Coupled with more than ten formulas, he could already be considered a qualified pharmacist. He only spent a month learning to this stage. The benefits of adding the relevant qualifications for one’s role were indeed astonishing.
Actually, according to normal methods, it was very difficult to learn more than ten formulas so quickly. Even if his learning efficiency was high, it was impossible for ordinary pharmacists to teach apprentices without a long period of observation. It would take at least a year or two to learn more than ten formulas. He did not want to wait so long as well.
It was not suitable to do anything overboard to normal teachers. Even for someone like Marley, Zhou Jing’s methods were not too harsh. Although Marley was a greedy person, his teaching was real.
He only used force to avoid the twists and turns of normal methods and quickly obtained the knowledge he wanted. He did not do anything else to Marley. In the Mutant World, fists were more practical and convenient.
“I already have the standards of a pharmacist. I shouldn’t be rejected at the Empire Workshop now.”
Zhou Jing walked on the street and calculated for a while. Soon, he turned to the office of the Empire Workshop. That was his goal, the gathering place of the entire Terra Empire’s “high-quality techniques.”
...
At the same time, somewhere in the royal palace.
Roman strolled through the garden.
A trusted aide followed beside him and reported in a low voice.
“…The tribal lords have replied. As long as there’s a need, we can carry out the plan at any time.”
Roman nodded and plucked a leaf from the grass by the side of the road. He flipped it between his fingers and casually said, “Let them wait a little longer. The time is not ripe yet. It’s not yet a good opportunity to fall out with them. The empire has the energy to send troops to suppress them now.”
The trusted aide nodded, then said, “There’s one more thing. Recently, the people we planted in the Empire Workshop have sent news that they seem to have made new progress in the development of the mutant beasts’ special abilities.”
Roman paused, “Oh?”
“The Empire Workshop has been researching special mutated beast equipment and trying to use its special abilities. Recently, they seem to have made a semi-finished product. The royal family of Tarn personally went to take a look and even blocked the news… We only heard that they named this equipment the Miraculous Armament.”
“I want to know the details. Find out for me.” Roman’s tone was unquestionable.
“Understood.”
Roman paused for a moment, as if he had remembered something, then asked, “How’s the progress of the research and development of the special blood potion in the Empire Workshop?”
“There’s no improvement. They haven’t been able to overcome the technical difficulties, so they are still unable to inherit the special abilities of the mutant beasts through the blood potion.”
“Well, continue to pay attention. As soon as they make any progress, let me know… especially to find out which craftsman is driving the progress. That person is definitely a talent.”
Roman slowly replied.
At this moment, a few well-dressed young men and women walked over from the other end of the garden path. They were laughing and playing along the way.
“He’s a direct blood relative of the royal family of Tarn.”
Roman secretly gestured for his trusted aide to retreat.
Immediately after, he controlled the fat on his face and smiled warmly.
After three sentences, Roman naturally blended into the group of young people from the royal family of Tarn and started chatting happily. He seemed to be quite the social butterfly.