Mechanical Alchemist

Su Lun had originally thought that the mysterious vendor selling maps was backed by a Great Pirate gang or was an "apprentice" with a way to access a top-tier navigator.

Only now he was certain that this person named "Tanni" was himself one of the most outstanding navigators in Pirate City, and his reputation was not small.

But it wasn't a good reputation, rather, it was infamous.

While other pirates had cool and domineering monikers, this guy's nickname was "The Unlucky Bastard Cursed by the Sea."

Known as a "Human Cursed Object," it was said that if he sailed with a ship, they would definitely encounter a storm.

This streak of bad luck also made Tanni subjected to ostracism in Pirate City, which was the reason he had been bullied just now.

Su Lun watched the desolate figure leaving and a thick interest surfaced in his eyes, so he decided to follow.

Now that he was certain the third "Black Sam's Cursed Gold Coin" was in this Tanni's possession, he naturally wouldn't let it slip away.

However, he had no intention of confronting him directly.

Since the coin had been in Tanni's hands for so long without being snatched by anyone, and its reputation was so "sinister," there must be some special reason for it.

In this supernatural world, there were some inexplicable curses that no one could really explain.

Su Lun planned to first understand the situation a bit more.

His intuition told him that this fellow probably harbored some other secret.

...

"Quite vigilant, huh..."

Su Lun strolled leisurely along the streets, and through his Soul Perception, he noticed that his target was constantly on the move.

After following for two streets, Tanni was always on high alert. It was clear that this guy was born and raised in Pirate City; he knew every alley like the back of his hand, climbing and leaping between various eaves and lofts like a monkey. If Su Lun didn't have Soul Perception, he would've been spotted if he had tried to follow directly.

The chase between the two didn't take long before they arrived at the upper layer area.

This area was for high-end consumption, filled with various upscale brothels and gambling dens, and frequented by the Great Pirates who had bounties on their heads.

Su Lun paused and watched Tanni in the alley, seemingly waiting for someone.

Sure enough, before long, a pirate with a cock's comb walked out of a gambling den.

Su Lun recognized him as a small team leader from the Northern Sea fleet.

"Hey, Tanni boy, did you bring the money?"

"I did. Captain Fusher, where's the thing I asked for?"

"..."

Through Black Crow Sharer's vision, Su Lun could finally see clearly that the two were sneakily conducting some sort of transaction.

Tanni handed over a money bag full of cash to the man and then received a small packet in return.

It looked like a potion?

Su Lun was also curious as to what that fellow needed the money for that he had to earn it by risking his life. Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire

It certainly wasn't a hallucinogen; that much money could allow one to enjoy the best hallucinogens until death.

The two seemed to be quite familiar with each other, completing the transaction in a flash.

"You'd better lay low lately. I know you're short on cash, but the big shots have given the word, they don't want to see such accurate maps appearing in the city."

"I've already drawn them as rough as I can... if they are worse, they might endanger the lives of people who venture out with these maps. Sorry, I can't produce the kind of maps that are common on the market..."

"I've given you the heads-up anyway, don't blame me if you get into trouble later. I've got a document here, seems to be some sort of ancient text we haven't seen before, the archaeologist in our group couldn't decipher it, so you help me with it. If it's valuable, I'll share some of the profits with you."

"Alright. Captain Fusher, if there's a need for a guide or navigator for a voyage, you could recommend me. I'm willing to go anywhere."

"Forget about it. The last time I recommended you to the 'Rhino Gang,' they nearly got wiped out in a storm. Now the word's spread throughout the city. You can forget about anyone daring to recruit you for the time being..."

"Actually, I can handle the storms and weather. It's just that they don't trust me, nor are they willing to give up on the treasure, that's why the ship sank..."

"..."

The two exchanged a few more words before parting ways.

Su Lun watched Tanni's face, filled with bitterness, and followed him again.

This time, Tanni went downwards, heading directly to a stalagmite island near the fortress.

That was a residential area.

Even in Pirate City, there were slums.

Those with money could live inside the fortress, those without could only stay in these sorts of shanty areas on the stalagmite.

Had he not followed, Su Lun would've never known Pirate City had places with such terrible living conditions.

The shanty area was full of filthy stagnant water, it was damp, foul-smelling, and riddled with mosquitoes.

Su Lun watched as Tanni entered a dilapidated shack; a faint candlelight quickly lit up inside the place.

This living environment did not seem to match someone who had just handled several hundred thousand in his hands.

Su Lun's brow furrowed as he sensed the area, thinking: "Is there someone else in the house?"

Besides Tanni, there indeed was another soul fluctuation, but it was very weak, as if on the brink of life and death.

Su Lun wanted to understand what was happening and without making a sound, he moved closer.

But at that moment, possibly having triggered some minor trap, a cloaked youth holding a strange mechanical device on his arm emerged from the darkness, his face full of wariness as he said, "Who are you? Why are you following me!"

Discovering he had been noticed, Su Lun's eyebrows quirked.

This shanty area belonged to someone else, so being spotted wasn't a surprise.

Since he had changed his attire, Tanni failed to recognize him.

Su Lun wasn't concerned about the mechanical device either; a weapon resembling a firearm wouldn't harm him, so he went straight to the point and said, "I heard you have a 'Black Sam's cursed Gold Coin'."

"Are you here for the Gold Coin?"

Tanni seemed somewhat resentful of being tracked and his tone was a little cold, yet he didn't deny it, "I do have a Gold Coin. But sorry, you must have heard, that coin brings misfortune. I'm not going to sell it to you."

Whether it was those who came to steal or to buy the Gold Coin, none had met with a good end. He hadn't intended to harm anyone else but hadn't expected others to still seek it out.

Upon hearing this, Su Lun glanced at him and said, "Hmm, I've heard. But may I take a look first? For this, I can pay you some money up front."

No matter what curse it bore, he had the All-knowing Eye and could identify it with just a glance.

It was only then that he noticed Tanni's teeth were different from a human's, resembling serrated, sharp fangs.

Mutation?

Or perhaps a hybrid?

Tanni, seeing the stack of cash thrown by Su Lun, had some of his wariness dissolve. At least this wasn't like the previous robbers who would directly confront; this guest was a lot more courteous.

Seemingly desperate for money, Tanni hesitated for a moment after receiving the cash before taking off a pendant from his neck. He then removed the Gold Coin and once again reminded him with good intention, "I'll let you look. But I suggest you don't get any ideas about it—it truly will bring you misfortune."

"Hmm."

Su Lun watched the Gold Coin, a flicker of light passing through his left eye.

This third Gold Coin had been easier to obtain than expected.

The coin was no different from the two he had, carrying some fragmented hidden information.

But during the identification, an additional 'curse' warning appeared, "A coin bearing a father's most heartfelt blessing for his child; those of non-specific lineage who take this coin will encounter misfortune, and it will also backlash against anyone who harbors malice towards that lineage;"

...

It was after seeing this information that Su Lun's inner thoughts became rather colorful.

The Gold Coin was indeed cursed, and a powerful one at that!

But...

The phrase "a father's blessing for his child" particularly stood out.

This special Gold Coin was made by the Pirate King Sam...

Then why was Tanni not affected by the curse?

Huh...

It couldn't be that Tanni was related by blood to the Pirate King Sam, could it?

The more he thought about it, the more sinister it seemed to Su Lun, and suddenly he felt that this was not as simple as just a treasure map.

However, this person concealing his face with a cloak only appeared to be in his early teens; the age didn't match...

Tanni, observing Su Lun's odd expression, thought he was being affected by the curse and asked, "Sir, are you alright?"

...

For a moment, Su Lun didn't know what to say.

He had originally intended to collect three Gold Coins and then unveil any secrets. If he could really find the location of Black Sam's sunken ship, he would consider searching for it later.

But now the situation had dramatically changed; it seemed he had directly come across a descendant of the Pirate King?

Shock filled Su Lun's heart, yet his face showed no sign of it as he asked, "How did you come by this Gold Coin?"

At the question, Tanni's brows furrowed and after a moment's hesitation, he replied, "I don't know. It has always been with me since I became aware."

"Oh."

Countless thoughts whirled through Su Lun's mind.

Now, he was indeed in a dilemma.

To buy the Gold Coin?

It was clearly cursed; he couldn't casually take it away.

And there was an obvious big secret associated with Tanni.

This piqued his curiosity even more.

Su Lun didn't bring up the topic of the Gold Coin again but instead tentatively said, "I have expertise in medical science, and my fleet includes some of the world's top experts in biological medicine. I smell the scent of disease. Of course, I don't mean anything by that... I'm just saying... if you need it, I can take a look at the patient inside."

"You..."

Tanni, hearing this, had the wariness that had faded from his face immediately rise again.

He instinctively wanted to reject this "stranger" with an unknown background.

But clinging to a last hope, he asked cautiously after a moment of hesitation, "Sir, you know medical treatments?"

"Hmm."

Su Lun nodded his head, not exactly lying.

He himself was skilled in conventional medicine and could handle the vast majority of illnesses without any problem.

The soul fluctuation in the room was so weak that there must have been some condition.

Tanni finally looked over with a hopeful gaze and asked, "Then... could you please help my mother?"

Mother?

Su Lun nodded and said, "I need to see the patient first."

Tanni looked somewhat troubled but, thinking about his own home being poor and having nothing worth coveting, he ultimately invited Su Lun in, "Then please, come inside."

....

Su Lun stepped into the shack, where there was a strong scent of the ocean breeze.

The room was tiny, probably only about ten square meters. Aside from a bed, there was a desk and then mountains of various books piled everywhere.

On the desk was a dim oil lamp illuminating a corner. There lay various tools for chart making, a ruler, a compass, a caliper... and an open piece of yellowed parchment with a half-completed sea chart drawn on it.

Seeing this, Su Lun knew that these sea charts must have come from Tanni's hands.

On the bed lay a person with a drip bottle hanging by her side; the bottle contained a blue liquid, identified as "Ocean Essence."

This was a type of pure water energy material, very expensive—one milliliter could sell for 80,000 to 100,000 riso on the market.

Su Lun also understood what Tanni had traded to Captain Fusher.

However, what surprised him even more was the state and form of the person on the bed.

Yes, form!

This was not a normal human being!

The identification showed the name "Naga Person in the Midst of Petrification."

Her skin was almost entirely a rock-like grayish-white, with only a bit of flesh-colored skin on her face—the only remaining trace of vitality.

Su Lun, examining the slightly different body structure, immediately realized that Tanni was indeed a half-blood sea monster!

He had read in mythological stories that the Naga, a branch of the ancient elf race, had a divine bloodline flowing in them and controlled the oceans and storms.

...

The small room, with an anxious Tanni on the side afraid that his mother's appearance would frighten strangers, asked, "Did my mother's appearance scare you? I'm sorry, sir; I did not intend to hide anything. I am indeed not a pure-blooded human."

Su Lun did not mind, "No, it did not. I am truly sorry for your and your mother's misfortune."

It was not uncommon for humans and other races to interbreed, but often their offspring would face discrimination.

Tanni clearly had his fill of discrimination and ostracization. Not concerned about his own status, he was full of hope as he hurriedly asked again, "Then... sir, can you solve my mother's problem?"

Su Lun frowned tightly, unable to deal with this sort of petrification, but, thinking that Dr. Banks might have a way, he didn't say it outright and instead asked, "Can you tell me how this happened? If I understand the source, perhaps I could better... "

If his guess was correct, the person before him could very possibly be the Pirate King's wife!

And Tanni himself might not even know his own identity.

Tanni hesitated for a moment before finally saying, "Have you... have you heard of the 'Gorgon race'?"

Of course, Su Lun had heard of them.

The "Gorgon race" was also a demigod race from mythological tales, and they were female monsters with snakes for hair.

The most famous one was named "Medusa."

Hearing this, Su Lun immediately understood what was going on.

....

Perhaps because Su Lun showed enough kindness and sincerity, Tanni also revealed some of his circumstances.

The two talked in the dilapidated shack.

"So, the reason you know about the Cyclops is that the Naga live in that sea area?"

"Yes. That sea area not only has Cyclops but also dragonkind, Gorgons, merfolk... There are many large islands to the west, inhabited by some powerful and ancient races. Our Naga race was invaded by the Gorgon witches, and our people escaped at sea. We were then hit by severe weather, and the fleet was scattered by the storm. My mother and I were carried here by the wind and currents, saved by a kind fisherman... but soon after, my mother's petrification symptoms began to spread, and we settled down in Hasting, up until now."

"You've seen dragons with your own eyes?"

"I have. But that was when I was very young..."

"..."

Su Lun heard some eye-opening information from Tanni.

It turned out that the dangerous and unknown sea area to the west indeed contained some ancient mythological races.

However, Tanni did not seem to know who his father was.

If Su Lun didn't have the All-knowing Eye, he might also be puzzled, but now, he could roughly guess what had happened.

It was highly likely that the Pirate King Sam encountered a beautiful Naga girl during his voyages, which then led to Tanni's birth.

After all, there weren't many adventurers who ventured into those unknown sea areas.

Moreover, the story of "Fal's Holy Grail" was told as a bedtime tale to Tanni by his mother when he was a child.

As for that gold coin, Tanni wasn't sure where it came from, but it was probably left by Sam himself.

Although it happened thirty years ago, the lifespan of the Naga race is much longer than that of humans, their appearance ages little, and their spirits are also much purer.

That is to say, Tanni, in human ages, would only be around twelve or thirteen years old.

Su Lun could imagine how tough life must have been for a young boy facing ostracism on one hand, and on the other, striving hard to earn money to extend his mother's life.

...

"I can't solve the problem of your mother turning to stone, but I can ask a friend on my ship to take a look later. He has deep research in the field of biological mutations, and he might be able to think of a solution," Su Lun said.

"Thank you," Tanni replied.

Su Lun couldn't solve the petrification issue and considered consulting Dr. Banks later.

He then turned his gaze to the full array of nautical books in the room, only to discover that many of them were hand-copied, not only including navigation but also archaeology, history, ancient languages... a wide variety of scholarly books. A good adventurer must certainly be learned.

Su Lun asked, "Did your mother leave you all these books?"

Tanni replied directly, "Yeah, some of them. Some I collected later."

Meeting Su Lun's gaze, he added somewhat sheepishly, "I sold the valuable ones. These are mostly ones I copied by hand."

Su Lun could tell, no wonder the handwriting was more beautiful than printed text. He asked again, "Did you draw all those nautical maps before as well?"

"Yeah," Tanni nodded and responded, "Because the adults in town forbid the sale of detailed sea charts, the ones I sold before were simplified versions. Mr. Su Lun, if you need more detailed sea charts, I can draw them for you too."

"I see..."

Su Lun marveled at Tanni's incredible talent.

Only now he realized that the nautical maps he had thought were of high quality were merely abridged versions.

Simply put, the level of charting was enough to qualify Tanni as a top-tier navigator and master cartographer.

Su Lun thought recruiting him would be even better.

And now that he had obtained three Gold Coins, but to navigate to the coordinates of the Pirate King's shipwreck, he still needed a skilled navigator.

If Sam left one Gold Coin for his son, it was very possible there were other factors at play.

Su Lun no longer just wanted the sea charts now, wouldn't it be better to have a master cartographer?

After pondering for a moment, he asked solemnly, "If possible, I'd like to invite you to join our crew, as my ship's navigator. What do you say?"

"Really?! You want to invite me to be a navigator?" Tanni was overjoyed, almost in disbelief.

Nautical adventure was his lifelong dream.

But because of his own reasons, the teams willing to invite him had dwindled, and the dream felt increasingly distant.

"Yes," Su Lun nodded in confirmation and added, "And before your mother is cured, you can also bring her aboard to sail with us. My ship provides an allowance, which should cover all expenses."

The petrified Naga on the bed needed Ocean Essence to sustain life, costing several hundred thousand lisos a month. Su Lun thought that compared to recruiting a top-tier navigator, this cost was completely worth it.

If he was going to recruit, he needed to consider everything for his crewmembers.

"This..."

Hearing this, Tanni didn't know how to express his current excitement.

Being able to bring his mother, he had no more concerns.

But then Tanni's face showed a hint of difficulty as he kindly reminded, "But... aren't you worried that I might bring storms and trouble to your fleet?"

Su Lun's eyes narrowed as he counter-questioned, "Do you know why your setting sail brings about storms?"

Tanni looked confused and said, "I don't know. But when I go to sea, I can feel that the sea breezes and currents seem to really like me, to welcome me..."

His ability was to foresee the coming of storms, but they were certain to encounter them.

This was why people called him an "unlucky fellow."

Su Lun laughed and said, "You needn't be troubled. Perhaps... it's a unique talent you possess."

He had some suspicions that Tanni's circumstances might be related to his Naga heritage and the fact that he was Sam's son.

The Naga tribe were the favored children of the ocean and storms. How could they be "unlucky fellows cursed by the sea"?

Moreover, just as Tanni had said, even if they encountered storms, he could often deal with them; it was just that others didn't trust him.

However, before that, Su Lun still planned to observe and confirm for himself.

....

Su Lun had intended to converse further with Tanni, but as they talked, his communicator buzzed with an urgent message from Qiantiao: "Su Lun, come over to the 'War God Colosseum.' I've seen 'Kai.'"

At the sound of that, Su Lun's expression tensed.

"Kai" was one of the members of the Mirror Organization, an Awakened second-stage Red Demon.

Mr. Jing had previously received a plea for help from Kai, stating he had encountered a formidable enemy. After that, the contact was lost.

Su Lun hadn't expected Kai to actually fall into the hands of the pirates of the North Sea.