Chapter 29: Kael, the Crazy Alchemist Part 1
Leaving the continent of Rustfall is honestly easy. However, the ocean between Rustfall and the other four continents is where the real challenge begins.
First, they'll have to get past a powerful navy that prevents anyone from leaving Rustfall. This navy is under Nexus' control, and its purpose is to keep the truth about what truly happened to Rustfall buried by preventing its citizens from reaching the other four continents and spreading the truth. Needless to say, the members of this navy are greedy people, so one could just pay them with enough cash and they'll let anyone through.
Second, the weather. Nexus has installed a weather-controlling technology around Rustfall to make sure that there's always a typhoon on the ocean surrounding the continent. Because of that, other than needing a huge boat, one also needs a skilled captain. Without that condition, just forget about crossing to the other continent because not everybody would be able to get past the powerful storm.
Third, suppose one has enough money to pay the navy and is also lucky enough to get across the powerful storm, they would then have to face the challenge of not getting detected by the countless drones hovering after the storm, which main purpose is to spot anyone crossign and sending the live feed to the ports on the other four continents. As soon as one gets spotted and they are not on the list of permitted to cross, they'll either get blasted by an underwater torpedo or get surrounded by the submarines nearby and either still get killed or become a slave.
Lastly, suppose one has enough money, was lucky enough to not only cross the powerful storm but also escape the eyes of the drone, and was then finally able to reach land. Next, in order to survive in the other four continents they'll have to get themselves an Identification Card which is one of the most important requirement to earn a living and access any form of businesses of the other four continents, something similar to Sylvaris Kingdom, except this one is connected to the database of all registered citizens of Noverra, but has especially excluded citizens of Rustfall. Good luck with that!
Those four conditions are precisely why people turn to powerful organizations for help in escaping Rustfall, because only powerful organizations have the power to get past the last condition.
Fortunately, the person Kael knew could solve all four problems, even though he wasn't part of a powerful organization.
Kael shared with Lawrence and Jayem about the person who could properly get them out of Rustfall.
"You're kidding, right? There's actually still someone that kind and honest in Rustfall?" Lawrence couldn't believe Kael's description of the person.
"I wouldn't exactly call him kind, but he is indeed honest, that is, as long as you pay him the right price, and also skilled," Kael remembers clearly well that shrewd man.
The man's name was Alfred. He was once a great miner when the mining industry of Rustfall was still booming and at its peak. But after the tragedy that befallen the continent, he decided to hide in a bunker that he invented and became an inventor.
Alfred invented a lot of great inventions in his life, even in Kael's first life, one of which he called the Mining Mole. It's this exact invention that allowed him to dig a tunnel straight towards an abandoned oil rig tens of kilometers away from Rustfall. From there, he prepared a boat that would take his customer to another oil rig, where another tunnel is dug that connects to the continent of Mechronis.
This was the escape route that Kael used in order to leave Rustfall in his first life.
Unfortunately, in the future, Alfred was killed by Nexus after his tunnel and invention were discovered by them in an accident. He didn't know exactly what type of accident it was, as it was only later that he found out, which he regretted greatly because he lost the chance to repay the man who had helped and given him the opportunity to carve out a new life.
"If you trust this man, then so do we." Lawrence no longer put much thought into the matter. If this man also turns out to be a fraud, then they'll just try another option. He believes they'll find a way out of Rustfall in the future.
After finishing their conversation, the trio returned to Avalon to prepare to produce more knockoff Health Potions.
The first thing they did was search around the forest, looking for a new location to construct their own camp. They don't want to just make a new one close to Manager Drex's cabin because they don't want the latter to accidentally discover the formula for how to concoct the knockoff Health Potion.
Fortunately, there was a hidden spring just a few dozen kilometers from Manager Drex's wooden cabin. They could use the spring's water for various needs, such as potion-making, farming, quenching their thirst, and more.
With three people fully committed to doing the work, the cabin was finished in no time.
The wooden cabin they made was slightly bigger compared to Manager Drex's, since they needed it to accommodate three people most of the time, although it doesn't have any furniture yet, as they needed to buy or scavenge for furniture later. In addition to that, they added a small shed on the side where Kael's potion-making will temporarily take place.
Once they were done, they went ahead and proceeded to the second part, which was to gather all valuable resources they could find nearby as quickly as possible.
Lawrence and Jayem were assigned to do the work, and with the updated Avalon Beginner Guide, which now has a list of some common rank materials, it made it easier to spot the valuable materials and not miss a single one as well.
While the duo was doing that, Kael was busy separating the materials they could sell for profit and those that they needed to concoct the knockoff Health Potions.
They spent around five hours collecting various materials until finally, they filled up twenty sacks worth of materials. To be more accurate, they've gathered a bit more than a thousand materials, which include a few ores like gold, iron, tin, and copper.
In the end, they got more than enough. And after separating the useful materials from those they are planning to sell, they got fourteen sacks in total to sell for profit.
After preparing everything, they set out from their wooden cabin and traveled to the Sylvaris Kingdom to sell all their materials.
Unlike before, Kael's group was no longer stopped at the gate of the Sylvaris Kingdom because they now had Identification Cards with them.
However, the same guard named Elandor suggested that if they intend to sell more and more materials in the future, they'll have to upgrade their ID Card to merchant so that they can get through the gate without any problem because apparently theirs a limit to the number of materials an ordinary person could carry with them inside the Sylvaris Kingdom.
Fortunately, they haven't reached the limit yet, which was one thousand materials per person, so Elandor let them through without any problem.
Unbeknownst to Elandor, Kael knew about this limit. It's the same with every kingdom in Avalon. That was why he didn't see the need to register just yet. Perhaps in the future, when they start bringing in quantities of materials over the limit he'd consider, but as of now, he doesn't see any benefit in doing it just yet.
Although there are indeed some attractive advantages of being a merchant…
Still, not today or any day soon because they have more important matters to take care of.
To avoid getting unwanted attention, Kael, Lawrence, and Jayem went to different stores to sell the materials and, at the same time, buy the materials they needed.
Kael still went to Elowed's Herbal Store to sell the materials they've brought with them and buy the materials he needed for the knockoff Health Potion.
Seeing Kael again, Elowed beamed in delight and gratefully accepted all the materials the former bought with him. And as if expecting already, he also took out the same materials Kael needed from their storage.
This time, Elowed took out ten sacks from the back.
"You seem more prepared than normal?" Kael inquired.
"That's because I heard from the other store owners that a young man in his twenties is buying a lot of these materials," Elowed explained with a meaningful look on his face. "I'm guessing that was you?"
"You got me," Kael raised his arms jokingly. He doesn't intend to hide it because he doesn't want to raise any suspicion. This was also the main reason he sent Lawrence and Jayem to purchase the other materials on the list, so that they wouldn't be able to easily discover the complete formula once the knockoff Health Potion entered the Avalon market.
"What exactly are you using it for?"
"Do you want to hear the truth?" Kael motioned his hand for Elowed to get close.
Elowed followed while looking around his surroundings.
"It's my dream to become an alchemist in the future. I'm using those materials to train since they're a lot cheaper," Kael whispered.
"I see, I see," Elowed finally understood. "In that case, just pay me one gold coin every time you need these materials. I'll support you in your dream!"
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely!" Elowed nodded his head. "But make sure in the future when you officially become an alchemist, you give me a discount on your potions!" He chuckled.
"Definitely!" Kael was coincidentally also looking for someone to become the distributor of the knockoff Health Potion in the Sylvaris Kingdom soon, and Elowed seems to be a good candidate to consider.