Su Xiao and the wolf butler stared at each other. In the past, the wolf butler wouldn't have feared Su Xiao and would have looked for an opportunity to eliminate him. Now, however, Su Xiao's scrutinizing gaze, as if he wanted to dismantle and study the wolf butler, instilled a primal fear in him—a fear that alchemical creatures could never escape, no matter how powerful they were.
"Fascinating," Su Xiao said, retracting his intense gaze, allowing the wolf butler to relax slightly.
"So, are you still not planning to take me to the treasury? Since you're Alice's alchemical creation, my reward this time..." Su Xiao's meaning was clear.
"Don't worry, I won't make you my subordinate. I'll just dismantle you and use your parts to create other alchemical creatures."
Su Xiao's words chilled the wolf butler. In some sense, he was indeed Alice's possession.
"Follow me," the wolf butler said, turning and walking into the wooden house. Su Xiao followed closely. His earlier words were merely a warning. The wolf butler's hostile attitude had become so apparent that he was exploiting loopholes in the rules to obstruct Su Xiao.
Given this situation, Su Xiao couldn't ignore it. He had previously noticed that the wolf butler's aura was similar to that of an alchemical creature. Whether the wolf butler was truly an alchemical creation was still a guess.
Unexpectedly, Su Xiao had guessed correctly. The previously arrogant wolf butler was now much more subdued.
Since establishing a friendly relationship with the wolf butler wasn't possible, Su Xiao chose to exploit his weaknesses. The saying "a county magistrate is not as good as the current one" is applied here. Alice might be the false god of the castle, but the wolf butler was the game's referee and host. The butler's hostility towards Su Xiao had already affected his ability to receive rewards normally.
If Su Xiao hadn't spoken up, the wolf butler might have stood there indefinitely. Su Xiao was the victor of the fourth game, but there was no specific rule on when the reward should be given. It could be after the game or even hundreds of years later.
That was the wolf butler's plan: to stall. Once the fifth game ended, Su Xiao would leave without ever getting his reward because he "didn't have time" to collect it.
Su Xiao and the wolf butler entered the wooden house. The butler twisted a light fixture on the wall, causing the house to shake and start descending like an elevator.
As the wooden house descended faster, Su Xiao exhaled in relief. He would soon receive his reward.
"You're quite knowledgeable in alchemy?" the wolf butler suddenly asked. Surprisingly, his tone was no longer hostile.
"Mm?" Su Xiao glanced at the wolf butler. His question carried many implications.
"Is this place not under Alice's surveillance?"
The wolf butler remained silent, which was a tacit acknowledgment. Realizing this, Su Xiao's eyes lit up.
"As expected, alchemical creatures shouldn't be given too much intelligence. No intelligent being is content to remain a slave, especially not an alchemical creature, which is essentially a puppet."
In Su Xiao's view, Bubuwang was not a servant but a companion, which is why they fought alongside him.
"..." The wolf butler remained silent.
"Give up. If my senses are correct, your body contains at least ten thousand restraining alchemical arrays. You can't gain freedom."
"Is there... truly no hope? I've forgotten how many years I've served as the butler in this castle, welcoming wave after wave of game participants. You newcomers might find the games fresh, but I am long since weary."
The wolf butler pressed a hand to his chest, where his core was located.
"You want to betray Alice."
"Never. Queen Alice is my creator. I would never betray her under any circumstances."
Looking into the wolf butler's eyes, Su Xiao could tell he wasn't lying. This made him realize that the butler wasn't looking to betray Alice or escape the games. Despite his previous behavior, he seemed to enjoy the games.
With betrayal and game fatigue ruled out, and considering the butler's desire to shed his alchemical identity without betraying Alice, the answer was clear: the wolf butler didn't have much time left.
No matter how advanced an alchemical creature was, it had a "shelf life." For instance, Su Xiao's alchemical ravens only lasted about half a month before they expired. Even creating new ones wouldn't bring the old ones back; they would be new, distinct entities.
The wolf butler's situation might be similar. Su Xiao's alchemical skills might not surpass Alice's, but no alchemist could extend an alchemical creature's lifespan indefinitely. This was an unbreakable rule.
Realizing the wolf butler's time was limited, Su Xiao felt a chill. He wondered if the butler might choose to die with him.
Given the butler's twisted loyalty to Alice, this was not just possible but likely.
The descending wooden house became fraught with danger. Su Xiao didn't show any nervousness. Instead, he lit a cigarette.
As the smoke filled the air, the wolf butler, with his cleanliness obsession, frowned.
"Your chances of escaping Alice's control are slim, but alchemical creatures can evolve to a higher level. Specifically, a high-risk mutation—transforming from an alchemical creature to a biological one. This process is irreversible."
"Impossible. Queen Alice has tried countless times," the wolf butler immediately dismissed the idea.
"Just because Alice failed doesn't mean my backers can't succeed. Where do you think I come from?"
The wolf butler pondered, then nodded. Sensing this, Su Xiao felt relieved.
Mutation? What nonsense. Su Xiao had made it up five seconds ago. It didn't exist. He just needed to stabilize the wolf butler, giving him hope to prevent a mutually destructive end.
If Alice and the wolf butler attempted this, Su Xiao would congratulate them for exploring a non-existent field.
"Mutation is rare because of its high risks. For high-level alchemical creatures like you, failure would result in unknown consequences."
"What's the process?" the wolf butler asked, interested despite his lingering hostility. To him, Su Xiao now had potential value.
"Mutation involves three stages: disintegration, coagulation, and transformation. I don't know the exact steps. As for other information, it depends on my mood," Su Xiao said, improvising. With Alice's knowledge, he couldn't fabricate too much. He relied on the mysterious nature of Reincarnation Paradise.
Su Xiao was betting that Alice knew little about Reincarnation Paradise.
Given the current developments, Su Xiao felt relieved. If he hadn't revealed the wolf butler's identity, the butler might have chosen to die with him before the fifth game ended. After all, the wolf butler's time was running out.