Chapter 98: Traversing the War of the Gods
[January 7th, Year 125. It's only been a single day, and you realize you're no longer on Earth. Everything around you bears traces of the extraordinary. Even in this tiny pumpkin-farming town that's less than 1,000 mu in area, all sorts of non-human races abound—like elf girls who are as stunningly beautiful as movie stars, and voluptuous werewolf girls who are about 1.2 times your height.
Elves were one thing, but even the werewolf girls look delicate and refined—you can't help but feel a chill down your spine. You remind yourself to stay focused on your career. You're here to build something great, not to be some wandering playboy!]
[January 9th, Year 125. Today's journal theme is magic and alchemy. You really are the protagonist—after just two days, you've figured out some of this world's truths: its technological level is equivalent to Earth's Middle Ages—shockingly primitive—but alchemy is absurdly advanced. Alchemy isn't just used for making potions; it's deeply woven into daily life. You find yourself quite intrigued by alchemy. Somehow, potion-making here feels a lot like the potions class in Harry Potter—it's fun.]
[January 10th, Year 125. While job-hunting, you meet an adorable elf girl who looks a lot like Anne Hathaway. There's an instant spark between you. Her family runs a fairly large chain of alchemy shops. Despite the language barrier, you manage to land a job there and settle in.]
[January 14th, Year 125. Only four nights later, you lose your virginity—half willing, half coaxed, you're ambushed by the cute elf girl in the night. You spend a blissful day together in bed, but whether you took her or she took you… well, that's a philosophical question.]
[January 16th, Year 125. After some physical entanglement and pillow talk, you not only learn the elf girl's name—Louisa—but also gain a solid grasp of the local language. You find out the country you're in is called the Kingdom of Byron. They worship the Goddess of Nature and Life, Agnese. The God of Alchemy and Craftsmanship, Edgeworth, and the Sun Goddess, Selvis, are also allowed to proselytize, though their followings are smaller. Louisa herself follows the God of Alchemy and Craftsmanship.]
[January 19th, Year 125. Today you meet a young knight named Archibald. You hit it off immediately. With his help, you rent a small apartment not far from Louisa's home.]
[January 21st, Year 125. You spend 15 copper coins on a lottery ticket and hit the jackpot—10,000 gold dragons. It's a massive sum. (Wealth +7)]
[January 22nd, Year 125. Now that you're rich, your ambitions as a transmigrator kick in. Naturally, you want to transplant Earth's advancements into this underdeveloped world—it's your stage to shine. You team up with Archibald and Louisa to open a small workshop. Your first goal: invent the steam engine. Although you're no scientist, you understand the principles. Reproducing one isn't that hard.]
[January 24th, Year 125. Something strange happens to you today—your ring starts talking. It claims to be the soul of a long-dead grandmaster alchemist named Goodwin. He offers to teach you a special branch of knowledge called Life Alchemy, but only if you agree to a contract promising to help him rebuild a body once the materials are ready. At first, you refuse—but his offers are just too tempting.]
[February 1st, Year 125. Your first month in this world flies by. According to local customs, everyone must attend church service on the first day of the month. You have no religion, but when in Rome… so you go with Louisa to the Church of the God of Alchemy and Craftsmanship. What happens there shocks you: a beam of holy light descends on you during the service, and you hear the voice of a god: "Stay awake, and awaken wisdom." Suddenly, you recall everything you've ever learned—physics, chemistry, all of it. You gain a new skill: Divine Blessing (Beginner).]
[February 2nd, Year 125. You meet the regional bishop of the Church of Alchemy and Craftsmanship, Chris Pound. After a chat, they officially recognize you as a blessed one and offer you some support. Talking to Chris Pound leaves you deeply shaken—this seemingly ordinary old man is over 400 years old, and he's just a regional bishop. There are at least four or five people above him who are even more powerful. You feel like you've glimpsed your glorious future.]
[February 3rd – 20th, Year 125. You're granted access to the church's vast library. As you immerse yourself in the sea of books, your soul feels a long-lost sense of peace. Among the books, you discover some odd lore: the Sun Goddess Selvis and the Nature Goddess Agnese are sisters—and they share the same man, the God of War, Broomfield. They even bicker from time to time. So divine drama is a thing too? Like something straight out of Romance in the Rain. You decide to make weekly visits to read.]
[February 12th, Year 125. As a transmigrator with full knowledge of modern science, building a steam engine is child's play. When the steam-powered turbine blades begin to turn, Archibald is overjoyed and moved to tears. You, on the other hand, remain calm and collected.]
[February – April, Year 125. As expected, your invention of the steam engine rapidly advances the development of the Kingdom of Byron. In just a few months, you go on to invent steam-powered looms and begin applying steam engines in mines and factories. Your and Archibald's fame starts spreading to neighboring countries. Perhaps future textbooks will say: Zhou Ning invented the steam engine and ushered in the First Industrial Revolution.]
[May, Year 125. Lately, you've been diving deep into Goodwin's Life Alchemy. The more you study, the more horrified you become—this alchemy is disturbingly twisted. You'd never imagined it was possible to make someone fall in love with you or gain superpowers just by transplanting certain animal organs.
Also, perhaps due to your Divine Blessing, you're not only making huge strides in science but also rapidly advancing in alchemy. In just a few months, you reach the expert level. Drawing from your memories of Harry Potter and Goodwin's Life Alchemy, you concoct potions like Love Potions, Underwater Breathing Potions, and Fortune Potions. The Fortune Potion is inspired by the Liquid Luck from Harry Potter—you're not sure if it works, but that doesn't stop it from becoming Louisa's best-selling product.]
Wait—Goodwin's Life Alchemy? Fortune Potion?
Zhou Ning's heart suddenly skips a beat. Could this simulation world actually be the Apocalypse World? If he remembered correctly, Holwig Gai and the Life Alchemy Society were both tied to Goodwin's Life Alchemy. And among the Four Heroes, two recorded names were Louisa and Archibald…
Louisa was the founder of the Alchemy Association in the Apocalypse World, and Archibald, known as the Flame of Justice, was the founder of Vick University.
And Zhou Ning just so happens to already possess the recipes for the Underwater Breathing Potion and the Fortune Potion. Could these really be the remnants of his past simulations?
The thought is chilling.
Continue simulation.
[May – September, Year 125. With support from the Church of Alchemy and Craftsmanship, your research expands from the Kingdom of Byron to the Kingdom of Falric and even the northern Kingdom of Odro. During these four months, Louisa's shop business thrives. Around this time, Pope Solomon Goss of the Church of Alchemy and Craftsmanship sends a formal summons, inviting you to meet in person in the capital of Falric—Abbott City. Both Archibald and Louisa are interested in going, so you decide to journey there together.]
[October, Year 125. You arrive in Abbott City, a massive metropolis in the southwest of the continent near the Darkland mining region. The headquarters of the Church of Alchemy and Craftsmanship is located here. But soon after you arrive, you begin to notice unsettling things—your steam engine, which you built with your own hands, seems to have become a breeding ground for hidden evils.]
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