Chosen: Beyond Fate

Yes, it was indeed Fluid Alchemy.

All the theories used, along with the spirit matter circuits, material interference methods, and spirit-refinement techniques, all came from the basics of Fluid Alchemy, or were extensions that combined it with modern alchemy.

Of course Ye Xian knew this. After all, Ji Jue had already submitted everything he knew. She had only skimmed through the sections on basic theory and applications, completely uninterested in the rest. Once she confirmed there were no hidden risks, she tossed it back to him and never paid it any further attention.

Just like that, simply by drawing analogies and only dabbling in it briefly, her understanding of it had already eclipsed Ji Jue’s. While Ji Jue was still absorbed in the fundamentals of Fluid Alchemy, Ye Xian had already begun cultivating the art in reverse.

If the essence of Fluid Alchemy was to elevate the intrinsic nature of a material and thereby enhance its form and vessel, then why couldn’t it be used the other way around? As long as one locks down the external form and constraints of a substance, then no matter how pure or powerful its inner essence becomes, wouldn’t it still have to submit to the limitations of its container?

When manifested outwardly, it would resemble a seal, using ordinary vessels to imprison and restrain spiritual entities. At this point, it could no longer be called Fluid Alchemy. Perhaps an entirely new school could be developed from it. Maybe it could be called... Solid Alchemy?

However, the grand path that seemed so full of promise to Ji Jue was, in Professor Ye’s eyes, utterly unworthy of further study.

“Did you see it clearly?” Ye Xian extended her hand and placed the hardened mercury bead in front of him.

Ji Jue pondered for a long time before replying, “I saw a little of it.”

“Do you understand it?”

“I more or less understand the principles,” Ji Jue answered honestly.

“Then that’s enough. Take it back and figure it out yourself. If there’s anything you don’t understand in theory, analyze it carefully. This will be your coursework for a while.” Professor Ye waved a hand dismissively and tossed the mercury bead into Ji Jue’s hand, reverting to her usual hands-off teaching style. “It’s just a practical little technique that’s still somewhat useful to you. It doesn’t have much potential, so there’s no need to get too absorbed in it. Just learn enough to use it and move on.”

After all, its applications were simply too limited. Techniques for spirit matter containment and sealing weren’t rare, and there were plenty within the Ascension Path. The real question was how versatile and convenient they were.

But for a Chosen One like Ji Jue, who specialized in Fluid Alchemy, this technique still held considerable value. Once he mastered it, he could directly transform mercury into a spirit matter cage and adjust its capacity simply by adding or removing mercury.

At the same time, he could store summoned mechanical spirit matter and draw upon it when needed, instead of cramming everything into his own soul. Otherwise, if he kept stuffing all sorts of random things into himself, who knew what kind of monstrosity he’d eventually turn into? By storing residual spirits in mercury, he could also avoid the awkward situation of having no suitable materials nearby when he needed to use the Soul-Summoning Bell.

In any case, the path had already been laid out for him. How much he could develop it from there depended entirely on his needs and the effort he was willing to invest.

Ye Xian didn’t doubt him in that regard. If a freak who could give his teacher headaches every other day were allowed to grow unchecked, nobody knew what kind of unrecognizable monster he could become.

“Take the next few days to rest. Once the break is over, things are going to get busy.” When they returned to the study, Ye Xian pulled open a drawer and took out a box. “This is for you.”

Ji Jue curiously opened the cardboard box. Inside was only a small, square plastic case that looked like some kind of security key for computer authentication.

There wasn’t a single seam anywhere on it. He gave it a slight shake and found that it seemed to be a completely sealed unit inside. It even appeared somewhat resistant to Deus Ex Machina.

Beneath the little case was an entire set of identification documents and an employee badge. The ID badge had Ji Jue’s photo printed on it. When he picked it up for a closer look and saw the title printed beneath it, he froze in shock.

Deputy Director of the Technical Development Department at the Haian Auto Factory? What the hell?

He’d only just gotten home, and this Pal[1] was already being sent off to a sweatshop to support the family?

Ye Xian waved her hand casually. “Don’t worry, it’s just a nominal position. You don’t need to go to work. Of course, there’s no salary either. If you’re interested, you can go poke around there, but don’t expect those complacent layabouts to surprise you.”

The corner of Ji Jue’s mouth twitched. To be honest, he wasn’t particularly impressed. Even among Cliff City’s younger generation, not many people cared about this brand anymore. Decades ago, when Haian Auto Factory had been one of Cliff City’s defining landmarks, it ‌enjoyed a brief period of glory.

Unfortunately, due to policy changes and shifting times, it had gone downhill at astonishing speed and had never produced another influential product. The company, a product of local protectionist policies and government support, was now merely hanging on by a thread, with no real future to speak of.

Its most famous product was the knockoff van now seen all over Cliff City’s streets. From the overall design to the chassis, suspension, and engine, it was copied wholesale from Universal Heavy Industries’ classic model. It was simple, reliable, tough, and cheap.

Even then, as Universal Heavy Industries steadily lowered the price of the original and rolled out better incentives, Haian Auto Factory’s sales kept declining year after year. One look was enough to tell that it was on its last legs.

Still, even if it was barely staying alive, it was at least a major local company. So how had Professor Ye gotten hold of these documents and this ID card? They couldn’t be fake... could they?

“Consider it a reward,” the professor said calmly, holding her teacup. “Back then, Chen Xingzhou was willing to give me seven percent of the shares so someone would clean up the mess he left behind. After you got involved in the whole affair, you actually saved me a bit of trouble. Now I’m probably the fourth largest shareholder of the Haian Auto Factory.”

“Oh wow, you’re amazing!”

Ji Jue launched into a string of flattery without a second thought. Even so, he couldn’t help feeling puzzled. Given Professor Ye’s status, such a tiny stake was probably something she wouldn’t even glance at if it were handed to her for free. It was basically a liability to her.

The professor glanced at him and couldn’t be bothered to explain further. She simply pointed at the document, signaling him to flip to the last page. Only then did he notice, hidden within the watermark at the bottom, an incredibly understated emblem.

An eagle with outstretched wings? Wait. What? Is that real?

Eyes wide, Ji Jue stared at it for a long moment. Then he instinctively pulled out his phone and searched for it. After digging around for quite a while, he finally found confirmation tucked away in an obscure corner of Haian Auto Factory’s terrible official website.

He couldn’t help but gasp. Is this actually for real?

The Haian Auto Factory was indeed a struggling company. It was struggling now, and would likely continue struggling in the future. When it had first been established decades ago, the governor of Cliff City at the time, whether out of a desire to line his own pockets or build up his political record, had spared no effort in pushing the project forward.

Combined with the different era and changing policies, the company had been granted something exceedingly rare right from the moment it was registered: military contractor status. Even now, it was still on the military’s list of approved partners. In theory, it was qualified to bid on military contracts, take on subcontracting work, manufacture military equipment, and maintain military hardware, among many other things.

Although the company had squandered every opportunity it had been given and gradually lost those businesses to its competitors, to the point that it could no longer even get onto the track, the qualification still remained.

“With this, you can legally carry weapon prototypes and tools. At the same time, you’ll have access to the Federation military’s database and can view weapon design blueprints below Grade C.” After finishing her tea, Professor Ye glanced at the dumbstruck Ji Jue and added, “All of them.”

His hand trembled slightly.

This wasn’t just an ID card anymore. It was practically a firearms permit. More than that, if he made proper use of it, he could practically switch careers on the spot and become an arms dealer in Cliff City’s underworld!

Ji Jue could almost picture it. All he had to do was set his conscience aside for a moment, and the balance in his bank account would skyrocket.

He still couldn’t believe it. “This... you’re really giving this to me?”

“Of course. Why else would I give it to you? To mess with you for fun?” Professor Ye paid no mind to whatever was going through his head. “Just one thing. I still need the company for now, so don't stir up any unnecessary trouble. Other than that, do whatever you want.”

Ji Jue stared wide-eyed and shouted sincerely, “Thank you, Professor!”

If it weren’t inappropriate, he probably would have started singing praises on the spot.

Professor Ye remained as calm as ever. “Don’t thank me just yet. You’ll be putting your life on the line for me soon enough.”

The last thing she slid across the table was an official notice. A deployment order issued by the Taiyi Ring of the Craftsmen Association, to which Tidesound Workshop had responded to the summons.

Led by the headquarters of the Security Bureau, master craftsmen and alchemists from across the Northern Federation were being assembled to rebuild the fortifications and reinforce the seals. More importantly, they intended to finish the job once and for all and completely cut off the Foolish Abominations by bringing the disaster of the underground caverns to an end.

It was the biggest operation Haizhou had seen in decades.

“I’ve already submitted your name,” Ye Xian said. “You’ll be my assistant and take part as a member of my team. If the operation succeeds, you’ll be able to pick up quite a bit of credit and recognition, even if it’s only from supporting work. If it fails... there’s a good chance neither of us will leave so much as a corpse behind. We leave for Spring City in seven days. Any objections?”

“I’d do anything for you, Professor!” Ji Jue answered without a moment’s hesitation, thumping his chest.

A top-tier expert was personally leading the raid, offering complete teaching, guidance, and hands-on experience. There could even be valuable rewards to collect afterward. Who knew how many rare materials would be waiting for him?

If he still hesitated at a time like this, could he even call himself human?

***

The moment Ji Jue reached the parking garage, he promptly called Lu Feng. “Hello? Feng, you got a minute?”

“What’s up?” Lu Feng’s voice came lazily through the phone, completely relaxed. It sounded like he was vigorously scratching his foot. Clearly, he was taking it easy at work.

As far as Lu Feng was concerned, if Ji Jue had enough time to exchange greetings instead of getting straight to the point, then whatever it was couldn’t be urgent.

“I’ve got a job for you and Layla,” Ji Jue said. “Give me a little time, and I’ll try to get the two of you licensed to handle military equipment. If we’re lucky, we can retire the old gear and give everyone a serious equipment upgrade.”

On the other end of the line, Lu Feng shot upright, rubbing his hands together excitedly. “Holy shit! That’s awesome! Who are we killing? The Governor?!”

Ji Jue rubbed the bridge of his nose. “No rush on the Governor. Let’s start by going back to our old trade. You haven’t let your sheet-metal and welding skills get rusty, have you?”

“Are you kidding? I’ve seen more chassis and engines than you’ve seen women!” Lu Feng thumped his chest, practically vibrating with excitement. “Don’t tell me we’ve finally got a lead on building those self-propelled artillery guns we talked about last time?”

“We have made some progress on that front, but that’s not what this is about.”

Ji Jue turned around and looked at Horsey, which was swaying from side to side behind him, desperately trying to get his attention. He reached over and patted its bodywork.

As the saying went, before the troops marched, the supplies had to move first. A fine horse deserved a fine saddle. Horsey had been running on empty for ages and had never gotten a proper overhaul. It was time to give the little guy the deluxe treatment.

Ji Jue raised his phone, holding a picture of an armored vehicle up in front of Horsey’s headlights, and grinned.

“So, how’d you like some bolt-on composite armor, double-wishbone coil-spring independent suspension, a spirit-driven dual-transmission gearbox... and a Rhino-style[2] vehicle-mounted heavy machine gun?”

***

Outside the window, Horsey roared out through the factory gates and sped off into the distance.

Ye Xian turned her attention to the old-fashioned desk phone that had been ringing nonstop in the corner. It was a call on the dedicated line. She picked up the receiver with a curious smile. “Mr. Yan? I thought I’d already made my position perfectly clear. Or are you still sore about losing and looking for a chance to save face?”

A gentle voice came from the other end of the line. “They’re just a few cloned mouthpieces. Tear them apart if you like. I’d like to think we’re still on reasonably friendly terms. Besides, further study should be entered into willingly. You can’t force someone into it. If he isn’t interested, that’s perfectly fine with us. Consider this a formal gesture. The hospital acknowledges the goodwill between us.”

“Is that so?” Ye Xian’s eyebrows slowly knit together. “Then I take it you didn’t call with good news?”

“That depends on who’s asking...” Yan Xueqian[3] sighed. “The laboratory has just finished its analysis. After comparing the results with previous treatment records, we’ve reached a conclusion. The efficiency of the Vortex Cultivation Method has declined again. The aberration rate in flesh-refinement techniques has also dropped, while the fixed spiritual frequency constant associated with the Ascension Path has actually increased.”

The change was infinitesimal, with its percentage dozens, even hundreds of decimal places beyond the point. But even if it seemed negligible, a change was still a change. It would not appear without cause, nor exist without reason.

According to the measurements, every technique, ritual, and related technology involved with the core of that Time Ruin had shifted ever so slightly toward the Supreme Benevolence.

In other words, after that night, the power of Supreme Benevolence had grown by the tiniest fraction, while the Foolish Abominations had weakened by an equally tiny amount. One waxed as the other waned.

“So that means...”

“That’s right. It’s already the fourth observable Benevolence-Abomination conversion this year.” Yan Xueqian smiled. “Don’t you intend to tell your student about his remarkable achievement? There’s no doubt he possesses the potential to help set the world back on the right path.”

“It’s too soon,” Ye Xian replied impassively, expression still calm. “I’ll tell him when I’m satisfied with him as his teacher. Until then...”

“I understand. I understand,” Yan Xueqian answered knowingly. “Keeping a patient’s information confidential is a doctor’s duty.”

“Really? What about dragging patients onto the operating table to use them for research?”

Yan Xueqian’s tone turned cryptic. “Treating illness and saving lives is never easy. Sometimes, that requires the patient to cooperate a little. After all, research materials don’t just walk by themselves into the furnace, do they?”

“Perhaps they do. The materials might very well walk into the furnace on their own. But if someone reaches into my furnace, I won’t mind adding a few more materials to the pile.”

The call ended. Silence settled over the workshop as Ye Xian stood gazing out at the sunlight outside the workshop window. Through the half-open window came the endless roar of the tide.

Suddenly, she felt an urge to call Ji Jue back and give him a beating.

Was being a teacher really this exhausting? She certainly hadn’t been this much trouble when she was a student.

1. Have already noted this in a previous chapter, but thought I’d refresh your memory for those of you who have forgotten. ‘Pal’ refers to the monsters in Palworld, a monster-taming game. ☜

2. I think this is a reference to the Rhino heavy armoured car, which was an Australian armoured car design developed during the Second World War. You can read more here. Of course, if there are any weapon experts here who know better, feel free to correct me. ☜

3. The surname 颜 was the 112th most common surname in the People’s Republic of China in 2016, so it’s not exactly the most common. “学” means learning or scholarship, while “浅” means shallow or superficial. Together, the name literally suggests “shallow learning” or “superficial knowledge,” which stands out quite strongly for a character like this, in my opinion. ☜