189: Chapter 0189 Medicine Division

The specialist rolled his eyes: "If the rules don't say it, then it doesn't exist."

Li Size asked again:

"What about permanent attribute-boosting potions? For example, the swift spirit, how many points can it be exchanged for?"

The specialist sneered:

"The rules only list the points for low-grade, Zero Ring ordinary, Zero Ring premium, and First Ring potions. If it's not mentioned, it's not available."

Li Size was persistent:

"Then the Materials for the zero-ring healing potion are 1 point/dose, and the Mental Energy amplification is 2 points/dose. What about the Materials for swift spirit and brain in a vat?"

The specialist frowned and checked the price list:

"The rules state that Zero Ring Materials are 1-3 points. We'll calculate it as 3 points, since no one bothers to refine those anyway."

Li Size sneered internally:

The Ministry of Education is openly fleecing people!

But he wasn't idle; he was calculating in his mind:

When it's time to leave the Secret Realm, he would use his points to exchange for those high-priced Materials, like the Materials for swift spirit and brain in a vat, to fleece the Ministry of Education back!

He took the Materials and then spent his only 1 point to rent the Laboratory for one hour.

The Laboratory was located on the second floor of the Exchange Area. Inside were a Sorcery Furnace and a Rune Workbench, each workbench covered by a transparent isolation shield.

Li Size walked into the Laboratory, put on gloves, and began refining low-grade potions:

He first ground the Machien Cheetah Bone into powder, then added Vampire Bat Saliva, and heated it to 300 degrees in the furnace while constantly stirring.

20 minutes later, four doses of ordinary low-grade potions were freshly made. They were pale green and emitted a faint fishy smell.

Li Size took the potions back to the Exchange Area, turned them in, and received 8 points.

He looked at the number on his point card and calculated:

Next up was refining the zero-ring healing potion. Each dose of material cost 1 point, and upon successful refinement, it could be exchanged for 5 points, netting a profit of 4 points.

He exchanged for Materials for five doses of zero-ring healing potion, rented the Laboratory for three hours, and returned to start refining.

This time, he was exceptionally careful, controlling the furnace temperature and stirring speed to ensure the potion's effect was just slightly over the basic standard by 50%, keeping it between 51-53%.

This Ministry of Education was so tricky even with the exam; he certainly wasn't going to let them benefit from him for free!

Three hours later, five doses of zero-ring healing potion were finished, each with an effect between 51-53%.

He took the potions to exchange and received a total of 50 points.

He looked at the number on his point card and decided to continue refining the zero-ring healing potion.

After all, this was currently the most profitable way to earn points.

He turned and went back to the Exchange Area, exchanging for more Materials, preparing for a new round of refining.

Over the next few hours, Li Size repeated the process of refining the zero-ring healing potion:

He exchanged for Materials, refined, turned them in, and exchanged again.

By evening, he had accumulated 150 points.

Feeling a bit tired, he decided to go out for some fresh air and check on the progress of the other examinees.

The 150 points made him feel confident; after all, this was just the beginning.

He walked out of the Laboratory and arrived at the city square.

The square was crowded with examinees. Some were discussing their point-earning speed, while others were complaining about the high cost of Materials.

"I heard someone has already broken 100 points!"

An examinee wearing a blue robe said:

"They must have found a fast way to earn points!"

Another examinee sighed: "I only have 10 points; I can barely afford the fees for the safe zone."

Just as Li Size reached a corner of the square, he overheard several examinees in coarse cloth robes gathered together, talking in hushed, angry tones.

"Did you hear? Someone outside the city is colluding with the Patrol Officers!"

A tall, thin examinee clenched his fist, his voice trembling:

"The Patrol Officer severely wounded a Magic Monster until it was lying on the ground, and the examinee next to it just went up to deliver the finishing blow and take the points!

Isn't that blatant cheating!?"

The bespectacled examinee next to him nodded in agreement, mimicking the tone of the colluding Patrol Officer and examinee:

"I personally saw someone report it, but the Patrol Officer said, 'When encountering a Magic Monster, you can't just take a beating without fighting back, right? I didn't kill it because I didn't want to interfere with you guys getting points. Is that my fault?'"

The examinee was even more arrogant, saying, 'I got lucky, a blind cat ran into a dead mouse, can't I catch it?'"

Another examinee in a patched robe sighed:

"The most infuriating part is that the Ministry of Education's Formal Wizard said this was within the rules! We ordinary examinees can only watch helplessly; it's so unfair!"

Li Size's brow furrowed tighter and tighter, and he snorted coldly in his heart:

There's unfairness everywhere!

He suddenly realized that his initial thought of easily getting ahead by refining potions was too naive.

Even if he was strong, he couldn't stop others from cheating!

As everyone became more familiar with the Secret Realm, these cheating examinees would accumulate points faster and faster.

He even had a strange feeling:

Was the exam deliberately targeting him?

Forbidding tools, yet tacitly allowing the descendants of the powerful to cheat using such methods!

Li Size snorted coldly in his heart:

These sons and daughters of officials really know how to exploit loopholes!

Li Size stood in the corner of the square, unconsciously rubbing the edge of his point card:

The number 150 gleamed coldly in the sunlight, but it could no longer bring him any sense of security.

He looked up at the faint black curtain of the forest visible outside the city and took a deep breath:

"I can't catch up to those cheaters just by refining potions."

His gaze gradually sharpened:

"Since the rules allow them to exploit loopholes, I will use my own methods to win back."

Half an hour later, Li Size reappeared at the counter of the material exchange area.

The exchange specialist immediately frowned upon seeing him:

"It's you again? What do you need this time?"

Li Size slapped his point card onto the counter with a 'snap,' his voice low but carrying unquestionable determination:

"600 grams of mithril silver, black demonic iron, Brass, and mithril silver Lead Alloy, 2 Spatial Crystal Fragments, 100ml of Magic Silver Liquid, 100g of Magic Aluminum Alloy, 1200g of Rune Steel..."

He paused, his brow slightly furrowed, rapidly flashing through the core Materials corresponding to each item in his mind:

The Wizard version of the gatling required mithril silver wires and a black demonic iron barrel; the production line needed Brass gears and a grinding iron frame.

The bullets required mithril silver cores and lead alloy casings.

Storage items were incomplete without Spatial Crystal Fragments and Magic Silver Liquid.

The drone needed a lightweight Magic Aluminum Alloy frame.

The motorized vehicle required a Rune Steel chassis. The variety of Materials was somewhat large.

However, the Ministry of Education had boasted earlier, so Li Size wasn't worried that the exchange area wouldn't have everything in stock.

The exchange specialist looked up, pushed his glasses up his nose, and his brow knitted into a tight knot:

"What you mentioned... are you sure you want these Materials?"

A hint of impatience flashed in Li Size's eyes, but he repeated the list again:

"mithril silver... Rune Steel."

The specialist flipped through the thick material handbook, quickly skimming the pages:

"Let me calculate... mithril silver + black demonic iron is 12 points... Material 5 points... Material points are 6... 4 points... Total 33 points. That's right!

Plus 8 hours of Laboratory rental, which is 8 points, totaling 41 points."

Li Size nodded, tapping his knuckles lightly on the counter: "Swipe."

The specialist was stunned for a moment, then began searching the material list:

"Are you sure you want these? No one does Mechanical Alchemy in the Secret Realm..."