The First Alchemist - Chap 35

Chapter 35 - Chem City

Almost half of the village had taken a step forward wanting to learn this new skill called alchemy.

Chem Al didn’t care about the majority, instead focusing on only three individuals in the group. "For those of you who want to learn alchemy, I thank you for your eagerness, but unfortunately I can only choose three of you. And the first person I choose is...." He pointed at a young girl around his age. "You, Bela Dor."

"Me?" Bela Dor said. "But, bu, ..."

"No need to be shy, come on up," Chem Al said.

Bela Dor wanted to learn this new skill because of how amazing it was, but now that it was becoming a reality, she grew nervous. Under everyone's eyes, she walked out of the crowd and stood before her village chief.

"Now the next person I choose is...." Chem Al pointed at a man that was missing a leg. "You, Shu Tui."

"Me?" Just like the young girl, Shu Tui was surprised as well. He only wanted to learn this strange new skill called alchemy because, ever since he lost his leg during that Colossus Bear hunt, he had become a useless person. Despite having a decent level of cultivation, he could no longer hunt or guard the village, so he decided to give alchemy a try because he had no other way to be of use to the village. He never thought that he would be picked.

Shu Tui stumbled forward, awkwardly moving with a wooden crutch and a single leg, until he stood before his village chief.

"And the last person I choose as my disciple is...." Chem Al hesitated. According to history, he knew who he should choose. But he really, really, really, really, really didn't want to choose her.

Sei Vi. One of the three disciples of The First Alchemist. He knew that she would be brilliant, quickly rising up as one of the most powerful alchemist in all of history. However, the terrible things she would do with the knowledge that he will teach her, he didn't want to think about it.

Ever since Chem Al woke up in this village one hundred thousand years in the past, he did everything he could to avoid her, but now he couldn’t do that any longer.

It was time to make a decision.

Knowing what he knows, should he make her one of his three disciples like history says? Or should he change history and choose someone else? There were consequences to both decisions. The question was should he stop her now before she becomes a threat in the future? Or will stopping her now create an even more disastrous future?

What should he do?

In the end, Chem Al grimaced and pointed his finger at her. ".....Sei Vi."

Sei Vi looked shocked, then a wide smile brightened up her face. She practically ran towards Chem Al, excited and relieved. Ever since her husband died during that Wyrm attack last year, she had lived a horrible life, unable to support herself. The only reason she had survived so far was because she was forced to live as a third wife to an abusive man in this village. She had no other choice. But now all of that was over. The sky was clearing up. She would be able to cultivate and make a lot of money. Her future looked bright.

Chem Al groaned. But he had no time to regret the decision because some of the villagers suddenly started to complain.

Why did he choose those three? What criteria was he basing his choices on? Why didn't he set up some sort of test to help him make his decision? That was what the previous village chief did when he chose who could become one of the village's guard.

"My decision is final!" he yelled, then waited for everyone to calm themselves. "Don't worry, these three before you are only just the start. Once we build up our resources, then we will teach alchemy to those who are capable of it. I don't plan to keep my knowledge a secret. I want to spread it everywhere...," Chem Al meant spreading his knowledge across the world, but he knew that these villagers didn't want to lose their advantage just yet, so he added, "...in the village."

The villagers finally settled down.

"Trust me, I will do everything in my power to make this village better. No longer will you starve for days and days. No longer will you live your lives with danger at every turn. You will not only survive, you will thrive. But I'm not going to lie. It will take a lot of hard work and the road will be bumpy from here on in. However, there will come a day where you or your children or your children's children will stand up tall and shout out that you're living in the greatest place in the world," Chem Al shouted. "From now on, this place will no longer be known as Sorka Village. It will be known as Chem City!"

The villagers were quiet, imagining such a future. But then someone asked, "Um, Chem ... City?"

"Wait. Did I say that? I meant village. That's right, Chem Village." Chem Al became momentarily flustered, but then he took a deep breath and his eyes looked far off, as if he was seeing something that no one else in the village could see. "But you know, what's wrong with that? Why can't we grow our village and become a city? And not just any city either. It will be a shining city, the envy of all, where there are towers tall enough to scrape the sky, where there are tasty treats around every corner so you don’t have to kill yourself trying to hunt or grow your own food, and where the biggest thing you have to worry about is getting stuck in traffic and being late for work." Chem Al grew quiet, but his voice still reverberated. "And where, late at night, when the lights are shining through every window in every building, it looks like a city filled with stars. And people can see it for miles. That is the city I want to build."

The entire village was silent as if listening in on a dream. No one was able to imagine what Chem Al was talking about, but they could hear the wonder in his voice. It washed over them, making them feel warm and hopeful.

When they finally woke up, they heard their village chief say, “Now let’s get started, shall we?”

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