Chapter 21: The Dizziness Potion

After Professor Kouen’s class ended, Lin Qi immediately became very busy. First, he ran to the logistics office and submitted the list of materials requested by Master Kocha. Other materials were manageable, but gathering three thousand ten-year, ten-leaf Moonflower Herbs would take some time. It was expected to take two months to collect them all.

After taking some of the available materials from the logistics office, Lin Qi also extorted a Talisman from Father Barin. Then, with a nervous heart, he stepped into the Master Tower.

This time, Master Kocha was not acting crazy. When Lin Qi entered his laboratory, Master Kocha was sitting on a wooden stool in the corner of the lab. He was holding a crystal beaker and tasting a sickly green liquid that continuously bubbled and emitted white vapor with great pleasure.

Seeing Lin Qi enter the laboratory, Master Kocha placed the beaker on the black basalt experiment table. He put it down a bit too hard, causing the beaker to wobble slightly. A few drops of the sickly green liquid splashed out, landing on the table and making it sizzle. A faint, sour smell quickly spread throughout the laboratory.

Lin Qi shivered. Only a monster like Kocha could enjoy such a terrifying thing, right? Judging by the situation, this liquid had at least a strong corrosive property. If a normal person took a sip, their internal organs would probably melt.

Kocha let out a few strange laughs. He mumbled vaguely, “Lately, I’ve had some food stagnation and indigestion, so I brewed some digestive potion to clear my intestines. Well, did you bring everything I asked for?”

Carefully placing the dozens of large and small wooden boxes he was carrying on a material table, Lin Qi bowed respectfully to Kocha. “Respected Master Kocha, the three thousand ten-year, ten-leaf Moonflower Herbs will probably take about two months to be fully allocated. As for the other materials—such as the brain matter of a two-headed snake, the warm blood from a white-furred winged tiger’s heart, the teeth of a black-toothed venomous bat, and fifteen other types—they will also take about one to two months to prepare.”

“Incompetent fools!” Kocha narrowed his eyes, green light flickering in his pupils. It was unclear whether he was calling Lin Qi incompetent or cursing the officials at the logistics office. He pondered for a while, then slowly stood up and muttered under his breath, “I need to brew a potion, and these materials are all indispensable. Since it will take two months to get them…”

Lin Qi thought of his father’s letter and hurriedly said in a low voice, “Respected Master Kocha, the year-end break is less than a month away. I…”

Kocha slowly nodded. He looked at Lin Qi and showed a smile that could scare a child into crying. “Very well, you have served me for three years, and you haven’t taken a year-end break in three years, right? Since the materials aren’t readily available, then you should go home and see your family. See, I am a reasonable person.”

The muscles on his face twitched, and Kocha said coldly, “But before that, prepare two months’ worth of food for me. You don’t want me to starve to death here, do you? Lin Qi? Hmm? Last time, I almost had to rely on potions to keep going because I was so hungry.”

Lin Qi felt embarrassed. It suddenly occurred to him: when Kocha said he had indigestion, could it be that after he brought a large amount of smoked meat and other food yesterday, Kocha, being extremely hungry, had stuffed himself beyond what his stomach could handle? Poor Master, no wonder he was drinking this terrifying digestive potion today to help his stomach.

Forcing an awkward smile, Lin Qi slightly bent his body and flattered, “That was my mistake. Please forgive me.”

His eyes shifting, seeing that Kocha seemed to be in a good mood today, Lin Qi cautiously added, “Then, may I come tomorrow to replenish your food? Because tonight, I have a bit of trouble to deal with.”

Kocha looked at Lin Qi in surprise. He tilted his head and shouted in a low voice, “Trouble? What kind of trouble? Who dares to cause trouble for you? Don’t they know you are serving me? Who is challenging you, and through challenging you, who is challenging my authority?”

It had been three years. After serving Kocha like an ox or a horse for three years, this was the first time Lin Qi saw such a human-like reaction from Kocha. It seemed he was a bit protective? Or was he simply concerned about his own face? But no matter what, this was a very good thing for Lin Qi.

Clearing his throat lightly, Lin Qi put on a pitiful expression. He said in a low voice, “You know, for three years, I have served you diligently and conscientiously. And at school, I am also a well-behaved outstanding student. For three years, my grades have been at the top of the Finance and Accounting Major every year.”

Letting out a long sigh, Lin Qi looked at Kocha with a pitiful expression and said, “But, as you know, there are good people in this world, and there are bound to be bad people too. In the Berelli University Town, there is a group of scoundrels who make a living by extortion. They like to use their violence to bully us.”

“The Round Table Knight Society, they are a bunch of degenerates!” Lin Qi waved his fist angrily. “They are a group of thugs from the Army Academy. They gather together and spend every day plotting how to bully us poor students.”

Two streams of hot tears rolled down. Lin Qi said through gritted teeth, “My best friend Vic was caught by them today. They want me to go to a place they specified tonight to pay money in exchange for him. They threatened me that if I don’t give them enough money, they will break Vic’s arms and legs.”

Taking a deep breath, Lin Qi shed tears sadly. “You know, we are all poor students. Otherwise, why would we come to the Master Tower to serve the various masters?”

Kocha was slightly taken aback, then nodded thoughtfully. That should be it, right? Given the Master Tower’s terrible reputation in the University City, and the bad record of thirty to fifty service students dying tragically each year, who but impoverished poor students would risk their lives to serve the monsters inside the Master Tower?

Lin Qi lowered his head and said with extreme sadness, “Vic is an honest person. His family is counting on him to make something of himself. His family saved every last Copper Coin to send him to study at Fifth University. If his arms and legs are broken, then…”

The eccentric Kocha smacked his lips. He walked over to the shelf where he kept his finished potions, took down two red bottles and three pale black bottles, and handed them to Lin Qi. He said in a deep voice, “This red one is a strong recovery potion. Even if arms and legs are broken, they can heal within three days. As for this black potion… Heh, stand upwind and open the bottle, and you will discover its effect!”

Lin Qi tightly gripped the potion bottles. On the three pale black potion bottles, scribbled handwriting indicated their effect: Strong Dizziness.

“Your generosity surpasses that of the Gods, dear Master Kocha. Please rest assured, I will serve you with all my heart and soul!”

Lin Qi bowed deeply to Kocha again and again, his heart, liver, and lungs trembling with joy.