Of course, Seymer understood everything Lan Qingyou was saying.
It was precisely because he understood that he had initially hoped to obtain some alchemy knowledge from her.
He simply hadn't gotten his way.
Seymer: “Then what do you want?”
He felt a bit indignant after failing to get what he wanted in both of his exchanges with Lan Qingyou.
He was a professor at Harvard University, a top-tier institution on Blue Star, yet he was being handled by a girl who looked to be in her early twenties.
This forced him to lament that the world truly had changed.
After thinking for a moment, Lan Qingyou typed out a paragraph: “First, you need to tell me the method for refining kerosene. This is to verify whether chemistry is effective in this world.”
Lan Qingyou: “Second, you need to write a basic chemistry book for me in the Federation common script. This is to verify that you are actually teaching me.”
Seymer: “And what do I get?”
Lan Qingyou: “Once I have verified your genuine talent and confirmed that you aren't deceiving me, I will write a basic alchemy book for you.”
Mistrust was mutual.
Lan Qingyou could sense his lack of trust from their conversation, so she needed to leave herself some room to maneuver just in case.
Seymer: “Then how can I be sure you aren't lying to me?”
Lan Qingyou: “That’s easy to solve.”
Seymer: “How?”
Lan Qingyou: “As long as you want to learn alchemy, you have no choice. If I’m not mistaken, you’ve probably collected a batch of books already, yet you still responded to Shang Chuan. That means you haven't even reached the entry level yet.”
...
Seymer fell into silence after seeing Lan Qingyou's words.
After hearing the world channel broadcast about Lan Qingyou, he had indeed collected a batch of alchemy books to study.
However, even with the most basic books, he recognized every word and followed the instructions.
But he just couldn't do it right.
Or rather, finished products that restored 5 mana over 10 seconds simply couldn't reach a level where they could be sold for profit.
Every time he saw Lan Qingyou's potions flowing through Shang Chuan and being snatched up instantly, his eyes burned with envy.
The market for this district, with its population of over a hundred thousand, was not something Lan Qingyou could monopolize alone.
If he could learn it too, could he also take a piece of that market just like her?
Even if his work wasn't as good as hers, in this 'early stage' model, the low-end market was the best choice.
That was why he had agreed the moment Shang Chuan found him.
He hadn't expected to be seen through and handled so directly.
It was true.
Leaving everything else aside, he knew of quite a few chemistry professors in this district alone. Although they were all prisoners—some even violent felons—those people likely felt the same as him, hoping for Lan Qingyou's 'guidance.'
Especially since she had come right out and specified the need for kerosene extraction knowledge.
It was freezing outside; how could he not know what she wanted kerosene for?
If Lan Qingyou really managed to produce it, it would definitely sell even better than her potions.
After all, that was energy.
And energy that could provide warmth.
Although a batch of frost resistance potions had entered the market yesterday, their duration was too short, making them suitable only for people going out with a very specific goal.
Seymer: “Fine, you win, respected Witch of the Tower. Shall we start with kerosene, then?”
Lan Qingyou: “We shall.”
Lan Qingyou’s face remained expressionless, her tone indifferent.
Seymer: “There are two main methods for extracting kerosene. One is petroleum fractionation, which is the primary method for producing kerosene. It involves a series of complex steps like distillation and refining.”
Seymer: “The other method is coal liquefaction, which involves converting solid coal into liquid fuel through various means.”
Seymer: “If you want to produce kerosene, from a professional standpoint, the second method is probably more suitable for you to attempt.”
Seymer: “Furthermore, compared to petroleum, coal is much easier to obtain right now. At least it has already appeared.”
After all, if she failed her attempt, he wouldn't be able to obtain the introductory alchemy knowledge.
Thus, Seymer spoke very earnestly, fearing that Lan Qingyou's experiment might fail and cause him to lose such a good opportunity for nothing.
Lan Qingyou: “Since you're the professional in this field, let’s start with a detailed explanation of the second method, coal liquefaction.”
Seymer: “Of course.”
Seymer: “Coal liquefaction methods are generally divided into two types: direct liquefaction and indirect liquefaction...”
Seymer began to speak at length.
And although Lan Qingyou still didn't trust him, she studied very seriously.
From time to time, she raised her own questions or started follow-up discussions about technical terms she didn't recognize.
He was, after all, a professor at a top-tier institution like Harvard; he certainly had the skills when it came to teaching.
Even Lan Qingyou, who had only learned some middle-school chemistry, could understand what he was saying through his instruction.
One had to hand it to Shang Chuan; no wonder he had introduced this guy to her.
She didn't believe for a second that Shang Chuan hadn't vetted the chemistry experts before making the introduction.
And so it went.
After a full day’s work, Lan Qingyou had grasped about seventy to eighty percent of the theory behind coal liquefaction.
Seymer: “While I don't quite understand how the alchemy of this world operates, you could try referencing some Blue Star theories during your production process to see how it goes. You might see some miraculous results. After all, even on a magical continent, many underlying logics won't change. Otherwise, there wouldn't be plants, animals, and minerals so similar to those on Blue Star.”
Lan Qingyou was well aware of Seymer’s suggestion.
In fact, that was exactly why she had sought a teacher.
Although this teacher’s price was high, it seemed to be worth the value now.
Just as Seymer thought, Lan Qingyou knew she couldn't take the entire market herself.
Moreover, according to the standards of alchemy, let alone one more person, even a few more wouldn't be able to satisfy the market of over a hundred thousand people.
Lan Qingyou: “Alright, let's stop here for today. We'll continue tomorrow.”
Seymer: “Uh... well, I probably won't be able to teach like this every day. I need some personal time to go out and harvest, after all.”
Lan Qingyou: “Oh, right. Every other day, then?”
Uh...
Seymer was dumbfounded.
Wait.
Is that what I meant?
I’m a chemistry professor from Harvard University giving you one-on-one tutoring; shouldn't you at least give me some compensation for my trouble?
Did you not understand, or are you just pretending? Weren't you quite sharp before?
Rate on N.U.
