Origin Paradise!

Jiang He scoffed and picked up the list of pages in the legal code.

Of the twelve rare treasures among the A-level battle merits, the most valuable one has already been exchanged. It was something left behind by the Tortoise Knight after his death. It was a one-time consumable treasure that could extend the user's lifespan to one hundred and fifty years, provided that the user did not die from disease or chaos.

Normally, something that concerns lifespan should be something everyone would covet. The fact that Platinum Palace partially abandoned it was out of necessity. The treasure originated from the Soul Armor, but not all treasures only have positive benefits. If a knight falls into monster form before death, then the remaining treasure will inherit the curse.

The Giant Tortoise Treasure is one of them, possessing a series of negative curses such as slow thinking, stiff movements, and a love of water.

Even if the curse were doubled, there would still be a large number of knights willing to risk their lives for it.

Jiang He turned her attention to the second item, which also contained a curse.

[Name: Double-Headed Eagle Corpse Banner]

[Category: Functional]

[Quality: Rare]

[Effect: By infusing oneself with a beast soul as energy, a totem banner can be engraved on the back of the body, granting the Soul Armor extension branch - the cloak, and a second set of knight abilities.]

[Curse: Theodora's Nightmare. Every night, nightmares will descend from the shadows.]

[WARNING: This item contains remnants of a powerful spiritual entity]

[Note: The ancient Byzantine Empire, which used the double-headed eagle as its banner, once held hegemony for a thousand years. The royal family and nobles, clad in purple robes, passed down the power of the double-headed eagle knights through generations, possessing two sets of soul-bound weapons. With the extinction of the double-headed eagle, the empire's glory vanished in flames, and its spirits now lie in solitude awaiting their successors.]

After reading the information displayed by the executive authority, Jiang He was surprised. His first thought was, "What a long introduction!" and his second thought was, "It must be disinfected." As for the successor that the dead souls were waiting for, it sounded very good, but in essence, it was probably no different from a puppet.

"I agree to become a Red Knight in exchange for this Corpse Banner and a Lionheart Treasure that is not on the list. In addition, I will exchange military merits for the Lionheart Helmet, a recipe for alchemical bullets and a potion, and the remaining exchange materials."

The middle-aged colonel's expression was inscrutable. He said, "For Chesia's sake, I first suggest you exchange it for another treasure. That Corpse Banner has already killed more than five knights. Since they died overnight, even the King's Shield didn't figure out why. Secondly, you can't exchange one request for two things. Finally, the Lionheart King's treasure was originally a complete set of armor, but it has long been lost. Our Lemon family has been searching for it for a hundred years and only managed to find a gauntlet by luck."

Jiang He took the documents and medals. "Then it's the Corpse Banner, the Lionheart Helmet, the materials, the alchemical bullets, and the recipe."

"Are you even listening to me?"

The middle-aged colonel had a splitting headache. If this guy died under the Corpse-Wrapped Flag, the subsequent operations would inevitably be hindered. This treasure, like the Giant Tortoise Treasure, was used to lure cannon fodder knights.

Seeing that the other party was emotionally agitated, Jiang He directly initiated hypnosis, and did so three times in a row. Regarding the Byzantine shroud flag, both sides had their own considerations, and reaching a consensus was a troublesome matter.

“Things from an ancient empire are certainly worth collecting.”

"Everything is for the mission."

"I'll just take a look, I don't need it."

The middle-aged colonel was confused; he felt that this three-part structure of speech was somewhat familiar.

Chapter 66 Setting Out to Alchemy

Morning time.

Dark clouds filled the sky, and raindrops slanted down from the heavens, soon turning the entire campsite into a muddy mess.

Jiang He carried a large package to the Lemon family's private bunker, having exchanged all the military merits he had earned in Lieden City.

Stepping into the private bunker, the squeaking of rats in swarms was particularly clear, several bats hung upside down from the wooden beams, and spider webs were scattered in the corners. The newspapers delivered daily by the communications soldier were piled up on the table.

Jiang He put down the package, took out the Lionheart Helmet and put it into the equipment slot. The item was golden in color and engraved with gilded patterns. Only the eyes and mouth were "cracked", while the rest was a seamless whole.

[Name: Lionheart Helmet (1/6)]

[Category: Set]

[Quality: Rare]

[Effect ①: Spirit stat +1]

[Effect ②: Intermediate Durability]

[Note: One-sixth of the Lionheart set. Collect three pieces to unlock set effect ①, collect six pieces to unlock set effect ②]

[Spirit: 7→7+1] (Top Hunter)

After putting on the helmet, Jiang He took out a ring and put it on; the Ring of Free Bird came from the rhinoceros rider he had fought before.

[Name: Ring of the Free Bird]

[Category: Jewelry]

[Quality: Rare]

[Effect ①: Mental Saving Throw +1]

[Effect 2: Increases resistance to mental disorders by 20%]

[Note: Some birds can't be caged!]

The two key pieces of equipment have been put on.

Jiang He pulled out a chair and sat down, taking out a bottle of amber-colored whiskey from his inventory. When they captured position 144 a while ago, Tommy's brother seized the previous Blood Bat Knight's treasury. According to the two of them, the few bottles of whiskey were top-quality goods that would be priceless.

"Can I have a taste too?"

A small crow flapped its wings and landed, its beak holding a spider the size of a bottle cap.

Wuhe was curious about the taste of the alcohol.

"Then let's split it in half."

Jiang He looked around and found that the plates and cups had long been taken away by the orderly. However, there were still a few metal boxes from the individual rations in the pile of miscellaneous items. After a quick wash, he poured half a bottle of liquor into each of the two metal boxes and then drank his own portion in one gulp.

Wuhe lowered his head and pecked twice, but the taste wasn't very noticeable. Every member of the legion had the same senses and vision as his legion commander, but birds' sense of taste wasn't as rich as humans'.

"By the way, what made you decide to drink?"

Jiang He leaned on the table, carefully assessing his current state, and said slightly tipsy, "The Ring of Free Birds' resistance to mental abnormalities includes intoxication, and the overall effect is excellent, but the determination of mental immunity is still unclear."

Wuhe understood and replied, "The Qing Shi Liao, the staff agency of the Order Bureau headquarters in Bianjing, has conducted in-depth research on this concept. For example, the well-known 'Rank Theory' can be viewed on the player's dark web. The general idea is that there are judgments between abilities, mainly based on the life level and power level of the initiator."

"For example, an ordinary new player might be lucky enough to acquire a skill with a finishing move effect. He can kill other new players of the same level with this skill, but it will be useless against gods, demons, or monsters because there is a difference in rank. So-called absolute power does not actually exist."

"For example, in worlds like ancient dynasties, curses and witchcraft have little effect on high-ranking officials. Although these officials may not have any special powers, they hold high positions, and to put it more mysteriously, the nation's fortune protects them."

"As for your +1 mental immunity, it does improve your rank to some extent and is much more substantial than common abnormal resistances."

Jiang He pondered for a moment and said, "So when Si Ning used the Abyss Logic Disease on me, her status should have been higher than mine."

Wuhe nodded. "At least they should be on par with you. Otherwise, if their rank is lower than yours, the effect will be greatly reduced, or it may even fail completely. Besides, given that guy's personality, if he could do that, Great Britain might already be in complete chaos."

Jiang He rubbed his forehead. He had drunk a little too quickly and was feeling a bit dizzy. He took out two recipes from his package, each worth 100 D-level military merits.

[Name: Alchemy Piercing Bullet]

[Type: Consumable]

[Quality: Average]

[Effect: Increases piercing damage by 10%]

[Note: None]

……

[Name: Vitality Potion]

[Type: Consumable]

[Quality: Average]

[Effect: Repairs internal and external damage]

[Note: The actual effect is 30% of that of a small healing potion]

Jiang He carefully observed the two alchemical results. Since the bullets and potions were of ordinary quality, the scale and difficulty were much simpler than the knight promotion ceremony, requiring only four materials.

Alchemy Piercing Bullet.

Material composition: ① A bullet inside the body symbolizing "hit". ② Building debris symbolizing "penetrating damage". ③ Brass symbolizing "bullet". ④ Bone spur powder symbolizing "penetration and gunpowder".

General conditions: Fire.

Jiang He placed the materials on the table. First, there was the bullet that the field hospital had taken out of the wounded soldier's body. Next, there was a piece of wood that had been pierced by a bullet. Then, there was a piece of brass ore. Finally, there was bone spur powder from the Hedgehog Knight.

Of the four materials, only the hedgehog bone spur can barely be considered a supernatural item, worth exchanging for a whole D-grade military merit. The other three combined are only one item each, which any private can collect.

Wuhe sighed, "The profit margin is appalling. If the selling price is ten, the cost is less than twenty percent. To be even more precise, common things like bullets inside the body, wooden planks, and brass ore are actually exchanged for the life of a Prussian. Is the formula really worth 100 D-level military merits?"

Jiang He nodded and replied, "What's truly expensive is the formula recorded in the recipe. From its derivation to trial and error adjustments, the error is on the order of grams. Ancient knowledge was relatively closed, so the achievement was extremely difficult. Actually, it's not too difficult to see the essential relationship between the ingredients and the symbol, but according to the description of the recipe, it has already transcended the scope of a menial apprentice."

Wuhe was suspicious. "I didn't notice when you were promoted to knight."

"Sooner or later."

"Ok."

Jiang He lit a charcoal fire. The alchemy tools were an iron box and a spoon. The wooden board pierced by the bullet was crushed into powder by the spear. Everything was normal when mixed with bone spur powder, but when it was combined with the "internal bullet" and brass and scorched by the flames, the whole thing underwent a subtle change.

Fire plays a crucial role in alchemy. It was a key element in humanity's transition from primitiveness, symbolizing civilization and creation, rather than simply burning.

Inside the private bunker, the bullets were engulfed in flames, their shapes becoming increasingly fluid. Jiang He's handling of the materials was slightly clumsy, but with his Ming Jin level of control and the seamless coordination of his hands, feet, shoulders, and neck, he was not about to fail at the last minute.

Three minutes later, an alchemical piercing bullet was completed.

Jiang He put it into another iron box. The Lionheart Helmet and two recipes cost 1200 D-level military merits. The remaining 160 D-level military merits were exchanged for a total of 40 bullets and 40 potion materials.

Chapter 67 God Creation Plan

It was noon, and the morning drizzle had turned into a downpour. A fierce wind howled through the air, and the sounds of gunfire from Lyden gradually faded. Only in the East District did the fighting continue, with British tanks battling Prussian puppets in full swing.

In the quiet private fortress, Jiang He put the iron box containing 40 alchemical piercing bullets into his inventory, and then began making vitality potions.

Alchemy Vitality Potion.

Materials: ① A gecko tail symbolizing "non-fatal". ② Disassembled medical sutures symbolizing "healing". ③ Wild grass after a fire symbolizing "regeneration". ④ The blood of a knight symbolizing "life and vitality".

General conditions: fire and water.

Jiang He began to make it. In theory, the blood of a knight can be replaced by most extraordinary creatures. After all, being extraordinary means a higher level of life and stronger vitality. In fact, because he himself has advanced self-healing, he is the most suitable blood raw material supplier.

However, the plan involves selling alchemical vitality potions to the public, which would expose their own blood products and pose uncertain risks. From an alchemical perspective, blood symbolizes human existence and could easily become a medium for curses and witchcraft.

On the simple wooden table, the powder from the gecko's severed tail made the knight's blood even more turbid. After the surgical sutures were burned to ashes, they were thrown into the mixture, causing the blood to separate into two parts, the upper part clear and the lower part turbid. When the last bit of fire and weeds were added, the clear and turbid were reversed, and the turbid impurities began to burn violently, like a dreamy cocktail of fire.

Finally, the vitality potion became clear and transparent, emitting a faint herbal fragrance.

Jiang He poured the medicine into a reagent tube, sealed it with a wooden stopper, and both items were complimentary gifts from the quartermaster. The middle-aged colonel didn't mind making some concessions for the new Red Knight.

Seeing that the potion was ready, Wuhe chuckled and said, "Now we have a stable source of income. Given the relationship between the intelligence officer and the executive officer and the subsequent cooperation, I plan to bring my legion to work for you, provided that you can provide a relatively private territory. But that shouldn't be difficult in the Northwest."

“I live on the coast,” Jiang He said.

Wuhe paused for a moment, then reopened his player panel. The executor's ID was indeed "Mo Ke," and the other party had previously admitted to Si Ning that he was from the Northwest of the Great Xia Dynasty.

"Um... is there any special significance to concealing this?"

Jiang He thought about it for a moment and realized that it really didn't make much sense.

"Let's discuss this after the mission is over. Even if it's not in the Northwest, I have places that can accommodate a large number of birds. What do you think is a suitable price for the Vitality Potion?"

Wuhe offered his opinion: "The Bureau of Order has always had a high demand for this kind of functional potion. As long as the effect test is passed, we can get the supplier's evaluation certificate. Someone will be specifically in charge of product coordination with you. The small healing potion in Origin Game is for saving lives. This vitality potion should be positioned as a regular supply item, estimated to cost 15 to 20 game coins."

Jiang He pondered that game currency could enhance energy traits and gem drilling, directly affecting combat power. Making potions required materials, which meant he needed to create a legion to search for materials, reducing his own time and effort, thus forming a virtuous cycle. Furthermore, according to Wu He and Si Ning, the legion was also involved in the future world war.

The circulation of game currency has led to another speculation.

Jiang He paused for a moment and asked, "There must be high-end players in the Bureau of Order. If we pool our wisdom and resources to gather game currency on a large scale and cultivate top combat power, then the energy trait level of a very small number of high-end players will definitely be terrifyingly high. The game has been going on for a year now. What is the life level of the first-tier players?"

As expected, almost every player is interested in the overall size and condition of the player base.

“This intelligence would be worth at least five bottles of healing potion if sold, but since we’re partners, I won’t charge you. First of all, it’s about the god-making projects that the official organizations of various countries launched almost simultaneously. The main purpose of these projects is to concentrate most of their resources on cultivating a few extraordinary individuals in order to maintain their dominant position in the new era. This is also one of the cornerstones of the establishment of the Current Defense Council.”

"But just a month and a half ago, on the first anniversary of the start of the Origin game, all the god-making plans of all parties suffered a complete failure."

"All the powerful combatants who received training died. All the leaders who participated in the resource concentration project were executed for disrupting order and illegal fundraising. Origin Game dispatched many Order Guards to airdrop into the destination to carry out the judgment. While the God-Making Project failed, the Order Guards also suffered heavy casualties, which directly led to a slow response even to the execution of internal violators for a period of time."

Jiang He's expression was subtle; he had previously committed violations.

Ugo continued, "According to the official report from the Bureau of State Affairs, the root cause of this turmoil is a huge conflict between the god-making plan and the core principles of the game's development."

"The current tendency of Origin Games is to send players to influence and plunder other worlds, but the products of the God-Making Project will solidify the internal flow of order. Once the results are significant, then the competition, similar to an arms race, will be unstoppable. The successful God-Making creators and the forces behind them will further exploit the middle and lower-level players and prevent the birth of more powerful beings."

"Given the dangers players face in missions and the severe exploitation they endure, they are likely to try every means to refuse to carry out missions, as the effort and reward are disproportionate."

"The combination of these two factors will ultimately lead to an indefinite slowdown in the game's progress, and after the turmoil, any actions such as the creation of gods will be considered taboo."