Talk to Todd and listen to his request

📍 The Xianzhou Luofu Central Starskiff Haven

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Todd

It's difficult to find an assistant...

What are you doing here? And looking around like this?

Todd

Ah, it's you, {NICKNAME}... I'm looking for an assistant.

Todd

Someone familiar with the local situation, friendly, well-educated... A capable adventurer... An outworlder... All these qualities must be present to help me finish my research project on Xianzhou.

Options

Woah, you need that many assistants?

Are you looking for an assistant or the protagonist of a story?

Todd

That many? I don't think so. Wait, I think you misunderstood. I just want to hire ONE assistant, but as this is for my academic research, I have slightly strict requirements for this person.

Todd

You think I'm asking for too much? These are just the basic requirements for an assistant when it comes to the Guild's research.

Todd

We scholars from the Intelligentsia Guild must deeply penetrate into alien civilizations and win their trust, while also braving any natural disasters we may encounter. It's as dangerous as being a Nameless.

Todd

See? Now there's a Stellaron causing calamity here. My plans to research the medical history of the Xianzhou just went down the drain.

Todd

The locals originally gave approval for me to enter the Alchemy Commission, browse medical texts, and exchange research findings with others, but they kept delaying my visit. Xianzhou residents might be able to afford the wait, but my old bones simply can't.

Options

A lot has happened in the Alchemy Commission...

The Cloud Knights are already imposing a curfew over there.

Todd

... How do you know that?

Todd

What? That won't do!

Todd

Wait... I've been looking everywhere, but you seem to know a lot about what's happening inside the Alchemy Commission! I heard that the general of the Luofu invited some outworlders to get involved in their internal affairs in a rare turn of events... Could you be one of those people?

Todd

What luck! {NICKNAME}, are you interested in becoming my assistant...?

Options

I don't meet your requirements, though.

Please go find someone else.

Why don't you want Xianzhou locals?

Todd

Forget about those darn requirements! I swear with my invaluable academic reputation—

Todd

I, Todd Riordan, hereby humbly promise that I will never withhold pay, and will provide {NICKNAME} with personal insurance and double pay for any overtime.

Todd

How is that oath? Good enough?

Todd

Don't be in a hurry to reject me! I can offer you a hefty pay. The Xianzhou is in utter chaos right now, and many outworlders are struggling to even earn enough money to eat...

Todd

What? Not interested in money? I understand. Money doesn't bring true happiness. I, too, am the happiest when standing behind a lectern and teaching students.

Todd

I can give you more than just money! I can give you prestige and knowledge!

Todd

Just think about it. You will be listed in the Guild's textbooks as Todd Riordan's collaborator, and frequently mentioned by every history lecturer in the cosmos. Does this sound attractive to you?

Todd

My child, all these long-life species are the same.

Todd

I've been in the Xianzhou for a year already. They keep taking me to tourists spots and make me drink terrible beverages. They don't plan to share the secrets of their past with me. Even the application to the Alchemy Commission was only granted after painstaking networking.

Todd

But you are different. You are chosen by the general and can go into many secret places, unlike normal visitors.

Options

But I've got other things to do.

What exactly do I need to do?

Todd

I understand, I understand. We can start with the most simple task. I just need you run one errand for me. Just go to the Alchemy Commission and pick something up. It's super simple.

Todd

Don't worry. We'll start with running an errand, the most simple task of all.

Todd

I want to ask you to go to the Alchemy Commission to pick up some research materials. It won't take too long. Please help a fellow outworlder, {F#young lady}{M#young man}!

Todd

Say, I need a Xianzhou medical textbook called the Compendium of Remedies. Could you please head over to the Alchemy Commission and bring it to me?

Options

There was no approval. Did you want me to STEAL the book?

These medical textbooks are the Alchemy Commission's secrets, no?

Todd

Look, we are both educated people... Could we use a less accusatory word? Perhaps "borrow"?

Todd

I've stated that they've already approved my request to borrow it.

Todd

How are these books secrets? They are just references that alchemists can browse at any time. Besides, they agreed to let me borrow it.

Todd

The Alchemy Commission's chief alchemist approved my request when I met her.

Todd

According to the Guild's creed, knowledge should be exchanged with an equally valuable piece of knowledge. I gave her a copy of an ancient text, and she gifted me a prescription the Guild had never seen.

Todd

Go. I'll give you the approval documents. Don't let an old man like me wait too long. At my age, arthritis is a veritable torment.

Borrow <i>Compendium of Remedies</i> from the healers at the Alchemy Commission

📍 The Xianzhou Luofu Alchemy Commission

Todd

My medical textbook! Is my textbook here?

Todd

Ahh, {NICKNAME}! My old joints are about to break! Please, have mercy on me!

Tired Healer

I got "asked" to leave before I even finished writing the prescription.

Exasperated Alchemist

It can't be helped. It's a mess everywhere...

Exasperated Alchemist

Um, hello? How can I help you?

Options

(Ask to borrow the textbook from them)

Tired Healer

Compendium of Remedies? I remember looking up a prescription in it two days ago...

Exasperated Alchemist

Your clothes... Are you an outworlder here for treatment? Why do you want that book? Are you trying to write prescriptions for yourself?

Exasperated Alchemist

How preposterous! Since you're already here, a healer will attend to you sooner or later. You can't treat yourself with a medical textbook.

Options

(Recount Todd's request)

Tired Healer

The Intelligentsia Guild's application to borrow textbooks? I think I've heard about this.

Tired Healer

*sigh* With the commission in chaos, all of our colleagues are being interrogated by the Cloud Knights. I don't think anyone would know about the request you're talking about.

Exasperated Alchemist

However, the new chief alchemist, Lady Yuluo, might be able to help you.

Exasperated Alchemist

I think she's somewhere around here. You can try asking her. It's best to ask the chief alchemist about important businesses such as outsiders borrowing our medical texts.

Speak with Yuluo and inquire the location of the <i>Compendium of Remedies</i>

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Yuluo

Weird. It doesn't match up here either...

Yuluo

Umm, hi... how can I help you?

Options

(Recount Todd's request)

Yuluo

Compendium of Remedies? The Intelligentsia Guild's application?

Yuluo

I see. It was something Lady Dan Shu approved when she still held the post... Oh, I'm sorry. I shouldn't call her "Lady" anymore.

Yuluo

I don't want to change her policies, but you must've heard about her crimes, right? The Cloud Knights are thoroughly investigating the commission, and even our day-to-day job as healers are being affected...

Options

So it's not going to work?

Alright. I'll go and decline Todd's offer.

Yuluo

*sigh* I don't think Dan Shu's crimes should influence the academic work being carried out in the commission.

Yuluo

But rules are rules. After what happened in the Alchemy Commission, everything has to be re-approved.

Yuluo

These medical textbooks are not highly confidential files, nor do they contain forbidden knowledge.

Yuluo

But I'm not the one who made the rules. After what happened in the Alchemy Commission, every exchange request has to be re-approved.

Yuluo

I just came back from a foreign business trip myself. The Alchemy Commission had experienced a huge upheaval and armed conflict. Everything is a mess. So many books have been displaced from the bookshelves.

Yuluo

I even saw some books hanging off trees.

System

Yuluo smiles at you.

Yuluo

I still need to continue making inventory. If there is nothing else, let's talk another time.

Hand the <i>Compendium of Remedies</i> to Todd

📍 The Xianzhou Luofu Central Starskiff Haven

I got the textbook.

Todd

Really? Let me see.

Todd

Hmm, it looks like the prescription she gave does exist in the book, but what about the ingredients in it?

Options

What are you researching?

That's all?

Todd

I want to find out whether the prescription the last chief alchemist gave me is genuine.

Todd

Of course not. This is only the start of my research, but the question I want to answer the most is whether the prescription the last chief alchemist gave me is genuine.

Todd

After all, I gave her a copy of Theories on Returning From the Underworld, which is an invaluable ancient text. Of course I need to see how good her returning gift is.

Options

That woman's gifts always contain evil intent...

Don't worry. She is skilled in pharmacology.

Just make this medicine and ingest it to find out.

Todd

Oh? You've dealt with her?

Todd

Oh? She's treated you before?

Todd

You want a short-life species to take a long-life species' powerful medicine? I want to live for a few more years still!

Todd

This prescription is recorded in the medical textbooks, but there's an extra ingredient.

Todd

The prescription didn't say what this ingredient is or where it's from. It's just called "Divine Aureate Twig." Is this the name of a common medicine in Xianzhou?

Todd

{NICKNAME}, what do you think?

Options

I'm guessing it's a twig from the bodies of the mara-struck.

I don't know either...

Todd

The mara-struck? Why would Xianzhou natives use such odd stuff in their medicines?

System

Todd looks at you, puzzled.

Todd

Hmm, but it does make sense. I've seen these monsters with branches on their bodies. Looks like we've got another mission.

Todd

{NICKNAME}, bring me a sample of this ingredient. It shouldn't be too hard for you, right?

Todd

The answer of one question will always lead to another.

Todd

Can I please ask you to find an alchemist and get some clues out of them? Please find some answers either through greasing some palms or... more persuasive means.

Todd

{NICKNAME}, old Todd can only rely on you now.

Todd

If I can't figure out this key issue, that means my net gain would be zero from this exchange of knowledge! Now, go, and I will pay you handsomely.

- <i>Compendium of Remedies</i> x 2

Head to the Alchemy Commission again to ask the healers about the herb

📍 The Xianzhou Luofu Alchemy Commission

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Confused Healer

Which direction should I go again...?

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Excited Healer

Tsk, rote-learning is the absolute worst...

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Learned Alchemist

It sure is chaotic around here, but the alchemy has to go on...

Learned Alchemist

An outworlder? How can I help you? If you are after treatment, please go to the Healer's Market and make a booking.

Options

(Ask about the "Aureate Twig.")

System

The healer suddenly looks very nervous.

Learned Alchemist

Where did you hear that name?

Options

(Tell a lie) The medical textbooks...

(Tell the truth) Dan Shu's prescription...

Learned Alchemist

The medical texts that outworlders have access to would never contain the name of such a forbidden entity.

Learned Alchemist

Hmph! If you're not a Sanctus Medicus disciple, then you must have met the master primus and received her prescriptions.

Learned Alchemist

I never thought the master primus gifted this prescription to the Guild. How surprising. It's a pity that the short-life species would never understand the secrets behind this ingredient.

Learned Alchemist

Let me tell you the truth. This is nothing less than the overgrowth on the bodies of mara-struck Xianzhou natives. You cannot obtain this ingredient without killing Xianzhou humans.

Options

You sure know a lot about this...

Are you a remnant of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus?

Learned Alchemist

The master primus was martyred, and the disciples all scattered. I had no choice but to hide as well.

Learned Alchemist

I can pretend this never happened today, but if you don't want the Cloud Knights or the Ten-Lords Commission giving you trouble, you better leave right now. Otherwise... I can't make any promises.

Options

Sorry, I work for the Seat of Divine Foresight.

Learned Alchemist

You scoundrel!

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Combat

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Combat

Hand over the herbs to Todd

📍 The Xianzhou Luofu Central Starskiff Haven

I got what you want.

Todd

Thank you for your hard work.

Todd

Fascinating. This thing does look similar to twigs, but its veins shine with a golden light... Its mysteries must be related to the Xianzhou natives' legends.

Todd

Scholar Bernini will be so jealous once he finds out about what I've learned here.

System

Todd makes the eerie twig into a specimen.

Todd

I don't have a lot of tools available to me here, but the Guild's research finally has some progress after a long delay. Thank you, {NICKNAME}.

Options

You are touching upon the Xianzhou's forbidden secrets.

You're not afraid of me reporting you?

Now, it's time to talk about payment.

Todd

What? Forbidden secrets? I don't seek medicines to grant immortality, and don't wish to become long-life species... What forbidden secrets am I unveiling?

Todd

What crime is it to collect a small twig that could have come from anywhere? Besides, you gave me this twig yourself.

Todd

No, {NICKNAME}, I'm not afraid of that at all.

Todd

You have been my capable assistant and helped my investigation from the start to the end. You will gain nothing from reporting me — except losing out on your reward.

Todd

Even the Seat of Divine Foresight won't be able to pay more than me.

Todd

Well said, and now it's time for me to fulfill my promise.

Todd

You've helped me so much, and I'm definitely not a stingy person. Apart from tangible cash, I will also provide the most common reward in the Intelligentsia Guild — that of knowledge. After all, knowledge is worth more than gold.

Todd

I will share with you all the information I gain from this project. Take this manuscript and keep it safe. I'll come find you again, young one, if I need to conduct more research.

- Eerie Twig x 1