This Lich Requests More Remuneration
Chapter 299 - 277: Drones and Poisonous Weapons

Chapter 299: Chapter 277: Drones and Poisonous Weapons

In the dim underground city, a massive building had been modified by Amberser into his weapon testing facility.

A drone with four wings smaller than a palm took off from the ground, swiftly flying forward,

Suspended by dozens of ropes, its path segmented, the drone had to make several turns to reach the destination before firing mini crossbow bolts at three targets there.

Calling them crossbow bolts was a bit of a stretch since they were more like slightly longer flying needles.

This drone took a full minute to complete the task over a distance of just over fifty meters.

Though its speed had some issues, overall the completion rate was high, successfully navigating all obstacles and striking the targets accurately at the end.

Amberser then released another small plane made of metal, perfectly designed according to aerodynamics.

Without any propellers necessary, this small plane shot out at a high speed, swiftly maneuvering around all obstacles and also hitting the targets smoothly.

"Not bad, the effect is quite good. You really do get what you pay for."

Excluding labor costs, the four-winged drone cost only five Gold Coins to make, but this small plane, with all materials combined, amounted to two hundred coins, not counting the more complex manufacturing process.

This small plane not only contained a more advanced Pseudo-Soul, but also the capabilities of a flight spell, with two mini jet propulsors installed.

It was a shrunken version of the jet propulsor Amberser had strapped on his back while making his escape earlier.

Its explosive power reduced, the duration and effects of continuous jetting and control adjustments were strengthened.

Alchemy City had also considered developing this technology before, to achieve jet-powered flight, which would surely be fast, but they couldn’t solve the problem of remote control.

In an era where long-distance communication was not feasible under normal circumstances, connecting two sufficiently distant locations could only be done through spatial transmission, a technology unfeasible to miniaturize for use on aircraft.

Therefore, remotely controlled aircraft were an entirely impossible design.

The alchemists had thought about crafting airships with jet flight, but since aerodynamics was a field they had only just started developing, their airships would be torn apart by the air as soon as they attempted jet flight. The project remained in a state of failure without any breakthroughs.

Give them another few decades, and they might make a breakthrough, but for now, it seems Amberser alone is persisting in this research.

As a science and engineering man from another world, Amberser knew a thing or two about aerodynamics and could even replicate the designs of aircraft from his previous life.

Regarding the remote control issue, with a Pseudo-Soul as the pilot, Amberser didn’t need to consider the problems of remote operation.

Thus, this kind of jet aircraft became a unique patented product of Amberser’s, one that even the president of the previous generation’s Alchemist Council would have to acknowledge Amberser’s talent.

But although it had patent advantages, the cost was indeed... over two hundred Gold Coins for a flying device that could only shoot nails, which really wasn’t worth it, not even compared to a ranger keeping a Crow.

However, the four-winged drone that cost five Gold Coins might be worth some improvement, like increasing its load capacity so it could transport many things. With a Recording Crystal added, as long as it safely returned, it could complete reconnaissance missions.

Yet, the jet aircraft was not entirely useless. If weapons with greater firepower were developed, the small plane’s agility and speed would become a nightmare for many adventurers.

Amberser set aside these two types of aircraft and moved into another room.

This was a completely sealed space, isolated from all external influences by a magic barrier, where Amberser had placed a few Triangular Sand Lizards.

A desert creature with particularly strong vitality, capable of regenerating and highly resistant to various toxins, substances deadly to a hundred people could at most give a Triangular Sand Lizard a stomachache for half a day.

For this reason, these Triangular Sand Lizards were the best test subjects for biological weapons.

What Amberser was experimenting with wasn’t any toxin, but the corrosive dark magic power unique to the undead.

As is well known, skeletons can’t farm because out-of-control dark magic power corrodes all living things, resulting in everything grown being either rotting or extremely poisonous. Unless skeletons were outfitted in a fully sealed protective suit, they couldn’t farm, and the cost of such a suit was more expensive than a hundred human slaves.

That’s also why Amberser never considered using skeletons for farming, as the produce wouldn’t even be fit for dogs.

Due to the intense toxicity of dark magic power, it’s extremely suitable for creating biological weapons.

But the contaminating effect of dark magic power is a bit special; it’s a form of radiation.

Assume that the lowest-level skeletons constantly emit this highly toxic radiation, but its range is at most half a meter, and it requires prolonged exposure to have any effect, with at least several minutes of continuous exposure necessary to cause significant side effects on living beings.

This is because most creatures have ample barriers on their exteriors, humans wear clothes, and some even don armor.

Under these conditions, the radiation effect of dark magic power is severely diminished; if it encounters a Paladin, it would be completely purified by the Holy Light with no effect at all.

But what if this radiation could directly enter the body, directly irradiating the organs?

""

Amberser took out a transparent sphere, which was a completely sealed membrane, containing a clump of ordinary air.

Ordinary, yet actually it was not, for with his Artifactual-Coins, Amberser had transformed the clump of air into a special kind of "corpse".

Once the air had turned into a corpse, it could be inhabited by a Pseudo-Soul.

However, air was extremely fragile, and if left unchecked, the gas-like Undead would dissipate on its own, a process that took about ten seconds or so, requiring it to be wrapped up to prevent it from scattering.

And once scattered, the unique Dark Magic Power of the Undead would quickly merge into the surrounding air.

Amberser threw two transparent spheres into the barrier, the membrane was very fragile and directly pierced by the spines on those Triangular Sand Lizards upon contact.

The colorless air Undead immediately dispersed into the atmosphere, and with the breathing of these Lizards, it entered their bodies.

The Dark Magic Power began to corrode from the lungs, causing the Lizards to convulse and writhe in agony. After enduring for about half an hour, all the Lizards died. Their bodies swelled and their bellies burst open, spattering foul black blood everywhere.

Even the Triangular Sand Lizards, much more resistant than humans, could not withstand the erosion of Dark Magic Power from inside out. If it were living people... well, let’s hope their Holy Light could reach the innards, otherwise, there’d be no saving them.

Air Undead, a weapon more potent than any toxin, specifically designed against all living things.

But its lasting effect was not great, because once the air Undead dispersed, it signified complete death, and the Dark Magic Power originally condensed by the soul would also dissipate quickly.

Amberser estimated that, at most within an hour, the Dark Magic Power in the air would dissipate on its own and gradually return to normal. If under the scorching sun, this duration would be reduced to even ten minutes.

Thus, the best method was to use drones to disperse this air Undead into crowds at night, certainly causing massive casualties.

"Not bad, Withered Rose would definitely want as much of this stuff as she can get."

The cost of creating air Undead was really low, as there was no need for these Undead to have any abilities, and air was free, so the cost of each fist-sized air Undead was just a few copper coins.

Amberser could completely set up an Undead Production Line specialized in producing canned air, then alter its nature by infusing it with Pseudo-Souls himself.

Sadly, only Amberser could accomplish the altering of nature, which severely impacted the production efficiency.

"My teacher said that this Legendary Grace was an ability possessed by a certain Legendary Alchemist. I really want to capture him to work for me."

Amberser muttered to himself, then began writing a list.

Alchemy was a complex discipline, and this underground factory’s main operation was still the concoction of medicines, so metalworking parts would have to be custom ordered from other Alchemy Factories.

Amberser planned to ask for the help of Gustavo Flint, who could probably get the lowest prices, so that he could stock up on drones in bulk. As for the mass production of souls, Amberser now had some ideas, but he still needed time to prepare.

Amberser stuffed several dozen drones of various forms into his personal space, then prepared to go up to the surface to test them.

Good products must open up the market, and he planned to pitch them to some Adventurers.

By establishing a reputation for these drones, ensuring that every Adventurer knew that praising the God of Alchemy would secure them an 80% discount on these handy and affordable tools, the power of the God of Alchemy would recover even faster.

"It’s about time I went up there and saw how Harvey is getting on."

Amberser assumed his human form and headed for the desert surface.

Still the same glittering desert, resembling gold, the sand still as worthless as ever when held in one’s hand—this wretched place remained superficially golden but rotten at the core.

He arrived in Dew City, the closest city to the underground factory, and Amberser’s chosen distributors were also merchant guilds from Dew City.

Having entered without issue, Amberser headed toward the commercial streets.

Soon, Amberser saw a bustling crowd; the current state of the war stabilized, and Dew City was regaining its prosperity.

Walking through the crowd for a while, Amberser caught sight of a towering ice sculpture.

Amberser was secretly pleased; that clever boy Harvey had carved an image of the God of Alchemy, huh? Advertising and collecting faith all in one stroke?

The lad had done well, even comprehending Amberser’s true intentions. He’d have to praise him later.

Only, what method did the lad use to prevent the ice from melting?

Passersby only gave it additional glances without stopping to gape, indicating the ice sculpture had been in place for some time.

Which meant the sculpture had stood for so many days without melting?