Marshal becomes pharmacist (12): Another potion 

After waking up, Si Qi, whose mind was finally free from all the nonsense, finally had time to think about what happened yesterday.

Although Sun Ba, who had been removed from the military and stripped of his lifelong political rights, was now at a low point in his life, the possibility of him being able to rise again like Si Qi after leaving the military was very, very low.

But he still retained more than half of the world’s power, and he confidently assured Si Qi, “I can make you a marshal, renowned throughout history, second only to the emperor.” Clearly, he still had a powerful trump card that could turn the tide in his favor.

Si Qi pondered for a moment about what other ways he had to once again become the center of the world, and soon recalled the memories of his “previous life.”

In the fate trajectory arranged by the world’s consciousness for Sun Ba, it was indeed mentioned that Sun Ba replaced the original owner and closed the otherworldly portal. Clearly, he knew more or less how the original owner closed the portal and what needed to be done to close it.

And because Sun Ba was now explicitly prohibited from entering the military, forcing him to cut off the possibility of personally closing the channel, he could only seek help elsewhere and turn his attention to others.

Maybe he thought the Li family couldn’t be trusted, so he went around in circles to find Si Qi.

Still very disgusting, using the pretext of “I know you still love me, I also realize that the person I love the most is actually you, so I want to atone” to justify it.

Xiu Xiu heard Si Qi’s analysis and complained, [It seems the Child of the World isn’t having a good time at the Li family.]

Such an important matter, and instead of seeking cooperation with the Li family, he first approached Si Qi. Clearly, in the eyes of the Son of the World, the Li family was not considered a good entity.

Si Qi smiled and said, [His reputation is already in ruins, and he’s dragging the Li family down with him, making them a target everywhere. The Li family is already being extremely generous by willing to bail him out of prison.]

Xiu Xiu: [But sooner or later, he will have to compromise with the Li family, right?]

Si Qi: [Eight or nine times out of ten.]

Therefore, to prevent the Child of the World from acting out of desperation and really spilling the beans, Si Qi still needed to come up with a plan.

After pondering for a few seconds, Si Qi took out the potion he had developed along with the Dispelling Agent.

Xiu Xiu couldn’t help but complain: [Master, you finally decided to take out this potion! I thought you were planning to spend your whole life in this world in a wheelchair!]

Si Qi chuckled, [Isn’t this just to give the people of this world a psychological preparation?]

When Si Qi handed over the plant samples from the other world to Chu Feng, he deliberately kept a few plants that were currently in urgent need for his own research.

One was a plant that could repel monsters, and he turned it into a Dispelling Agent.

The other was a plant that monsters from another world quite liked to eat. After studying it for a few days, he turned it into a gene enhancement potion.

The former was developed by Si Qi, who raced against time to save more people as early and quickly as possible.

The latter was that Si Qi felt there were too many soldiers in this country who, like the original owner, had to regretfully retire due to severe injuries that left them disabled. They had dedicated their entire lives to the country and the people, yet they had to leave the army due to external reasons. After retiring, they would have a long period of time during which they could not adapt to society, not only because of physical issues but also psychological ones.

Just think about how great the psychological gap was between the original owner going from being a guardian to becoming a burden; those military brothers wouldn’t be much better off than the original owner.

Si Qi pondered that he couldn’t possibly spend his entire life in a wheelchair, so both for personal and public reasons, he prioritized and resolved this matter first.

Hmm, perhaps in the eyes of others, it seemed like a miracle that Si Qi, who had just been paralyzed for less than a month, was able to solve such an ancient and difficult problem.

But in Xiu Xiu’s eyes, his master was omnipotent. If the master wanted, he could have taken the cultivation pill on the first day and instantly healed, so why would it have dragged on until now?

The reason it had been delayed until now was definitely because the master wanted to engage in some playful activities with the Lord God! It must be!

The clever Xiu Xiu had already seen through the truth…

Si Qi felt a bit embarrassed under the little eyes of Xiu Xiu, cleared his throat lightly, and said with a guilty conscience, [What are you thinking about? If I want to recover, I at least need a reasonable excuse, really…]

After finishing speaking, he sent Xiu Xiu off to do his work: [You go send the potion data to the emperor and those people at the research institute, and have them come for a meeting in the afternoon.]

Xiu Xiu pouted: [Alright~~]

Seeing this, Si Qi secretly muttered to himself: This little brat was getting harder and harder to deal with.

Time quickly passed to the afternoon.

The emperor, with a face full of excitement, and the thrilled big shots from the research institute all gathered around Si Qi, eager to see just how powerful the gene enhancement potion was that could supposedly easily cure even neurogenic paralysis, as mentioned in the documents!

Chu Feng also rushed over as soon as he heard the news—only, unlike others who were filled with excitement, his feelings were somewhat mixed with a sense of regret.

It was a pity that he could no longer pick up Si Qi every few days, openly enjoying the warmth of his beloved, always keeping within a meter of Si Qi, and tracking Si Qi’s movements.

Although a prince of a whole country spent his days pushing someone in a wheelchair, which didn’t sound very good when said out loud, he actually enjoyed it and even took pride in it.

But once the potion appeared… he wouldn’t be able to do that anymore.

So sometimes, it’s not good if the person you like is too amazing; you can’t enjoy some of the benefits.

Chu Feng wore a stern and cold expression, secretly thinking to himself.

The group arrived at the research institute, where Si Qi explained the effects of the potion to everyone. The overly complex and profound research processes and experimental data were not fully understood by His Majesty the Emperor and Chu Feng.

They only saw Si Qi speaking calmly and methodically, while a group of elderly people with graying hair and flushed faces listened attentively, gesturing animatedly. Chu Feng’s lips curled into a slight smile, exuding a sense of pride as if sharing in the glory.

The emperor, who was standing nearby, couldn’t help but smile at the sight of his son. He turned to look at the calm-faced young man sitting in his seat, feeling an indescribable sense of satisfaction in his heart.

As the long explanation finally came to an end, His Majesty the Emperor perked up and saw Si Qi take out a light yellow potion from the temperature-controlled safe, its appearance as dazzling as crushed gold.

Everyone at the scene instinctively slowed their breathing, staring intently at the object more precious than any gem.

Si Qi gently opened the lid, as if showcasing it to everyone, letting them see the appearance and smell the fresh, citrus-like scent.

Then, when everyone was still in shock, he lifted it up and swallowed it in one gulp.

Because the potion was quite thick, it had a texture similar to jelly when drunk, and Si Qi even chewed it a couple of times.

It instantly scared the hell out of a group of people.

“How could you just drink it directly?!!”

“What if there are any side effects?!!”

Si Qi was now the darling of the entire empire; even a little bump or bruise could break their hearts. How could he possibly put himself in danger?!

Si Qi was stunned by the reaction of this group of people, looking like a frightened little hamster, staring with wide eyes and sitting in place, not even able to react.

Still, this group of people realized that they had overreacted and scared Si Qi. They then turned around and, with bitter faces, gently persuaded Si Qi, earnestly telling him not to be so impulsive.

Si Qi: “…………”

No, he just spent ages explaining the effects of this potion, and they didn’t listen at all?

Those who knew thought he was drinking potion to treat himself, while those who didn’t thought he was tasting hundreds of herbs and testing poisons with his own body…

Si Qi: “I just want to show you the effect after I finish drinking.”

After finishing speaking, feeling the heat throughout his body gradually dissipate after taking the potion, a slight coolness spread through a nerve in his spine. Si Qi tentatively moved his legs, which should have been completely numb, and felt a dull, sore, and weak sensation in his legs.

After not moving for a whole month, muscle atrophy is completely normal.

However, he merely moved his foot, and that was enough to be astonishingly alarming.

A researcher suddenly pointed at Si Qi’s legs, his expression one of shock: “Wait, did your legs just move?!”

A group of people nearby, upon hearing this, immediately looked at Si Qi’s long, straight legs with incredulous expressions, as if they were looking at some rare treasure.

Si Qi felt a bit embarrassed under the intense gaze of the group, propping himself up on the table with both hands, straining his arms, and slowly standing up.

Everyone’s face was filled with shock as they watched the legs, which had been treated countless times by the imperial military hospital to no avail, slowly and firmly stand up.

His head was buzzing, and his breathing was heavy as if he were enduring a tremendous mental shock.

Chu Feng, terrified and anxious, moved close to Si Qi, his hands flailing around him, fearing that Si Qi might suddenly fall.

Si Qi raised his hand, pressed it against the arm he had extended, and, in front of everyone, helped him walk a few steps.

Every step taken outside, in the eyes of this group of people, seemed like a miraculous dream.

Si Qi wanted to demonstrate the potion’s effects a bit more, but the researchers, who were trembling with excitement, came to their senses, shook their heads in unison, and hurriedly said, “That’s enough, that’s enough, we’ve already seen the effects.”

“Hurry up and sit down to rest for a while, don’t push yourself too hard!”

Si Qi saw that everyone was so nervous and didn’t push them, smilingly returning to his seat. “This potion can’t heal external wounds for now, but it can instantly cure internal trauma, congenital deficiencies, hereditary genetic diseases, and so on.”

A group of people’s breathing instantly became heavy, and they hurriedly said, “So, you’re saying that those cancer patients and people who are congenitally deaf can instantly recover after drinking this potion?!!”

Si Qi thought for a moment, nodded, and said, “Strictly speaking, as long as it is a problem related to genes, it can be solved.”

The effect after use was somewhat similar to the cleansing elixir in the cultivation world, but the former relied on the spiritual energy contained in the spiritual plant to forcibly expel impurities and eliminate chronic ailments from the body, while the latter relied on the power of science.

Everyone stared at Si Qi in shock, and after a moment, uproarious laughter filled the entire conference room, echoing for a long time.

The researchers, holding the finished pharmaceuticals provided by Si Qi along with detailed research data, went to the lab with joy to ponder over them.

Only the emperor and Chu Feng remained in place for the time being. Si Qi said, “Your Majesty, how do you plan to use these potions?”

The emperor saw that Si Qi seemed to have something to say and thought he would, like those ministers, take the opportunity to ask for some benefits. He didn’t mind giving Si Qi a certain reward for that, and with a kind expression, he said, “What are your thoughts?”

Si Qi: “Gene drugs can improve the genes within the human body, enhancing physical fitness and reaction capabilities to a certain extent. However, due to production capacity issues, they are still relatively scarce in number. I think a portion should be prioritized for patients with severe conditions, so they don’t die because of it; another portion should be prioritized for soldiers who had to regretfully retire due to injuries, at least allowing them to return to a normal life… that would be better.”

The emperor’s face showed a look of surprise, clearly not expecting that after Si Qi selflessly donated the Dispelling Agent, he would once again not mention anything about a reward, but instead focus solely on how to better and more efficiently help more people.

His heart couldn’t help but soften. Looking at Si Qi was like looking at his youngest, most cherished little grandson. He couldn’t be more affectionate.

Nodding, he said, “You speak well; I will handle it as you suggested.”

After finishing speaking, probably with the idea of reciprocating, the emperor smiled and said, “Since you invented this potion, then over at the legion, how to use the potion and who should receive it will be up to you to decide.”

After saying that, Chu Feng, who was standing nearby, was momentarily stunned and couldn’t help but show a hint of joy—Father Emperor was going to let Si Qi sell a few favors to the major legions, making the people from the legions scramble to curry favor with Si Qi!

The war had lasted for so many years, and in every major family, who didn’t have a few elderly people who had fallen ill due to severe injuries, suffering excruciating pain on damp and cold days? Who didn’t have some young people with great potential and talent, but due to unfortunate accidents, had to leave the military and turn to civilian jobs, spending their lives in depression and unfulfillment?

But now the emperor said that Si Qi should take these potions that could change people’s destinies and negotiate with the various legions. Wasn’t this clearly asking Si Qi to do these people a favor, so they could remember Si Qi’s kindness for a lifetime?

This was not the end of it. If you think deeper, the number of soldiers who had to retire due to severe injuries over the years was enormous. Now, all of them could return to the army because of Si Qi alone. Would these people be grateful to Si Qi and consider him their benefactor?

From now on, Si Qi’s prestige in the legion would rise to a terrifying level. Just thinking about it made one shudder!

The emperor’s words clearly indicated that he intended to support Si Qi’s rise to power, making him a key decision-maker for the future of the empire.

Although, Si Qi indeed deserved the emperor’s trust.

Si Qi smiled calmly, unperturbed by the emperor’s “task,” and said, “I will not disappoint you.”

So, early the next morning, the emperor’s orders were delivered to the leaders of the major legions.

A group of people looked at the highlighted name of Si Qi on the communication letter in confusion, unable to understand how a rising star like Si Qi could be the one to lead a meeting of such military bigwigs.

But ultimately, they didn’t dare to defy the emperor’s orders. Upon receiving the news, they immediately got out of bed and arrived at the meeting room half an hour early.

“His Majesty, what do he mean by this?”

“Have you heard any rumors?”

“Probably because of that repellent potion, eh, I begged the Emperor for a long time and only got a little over ten thousand, is that even enough?”

“Over ten thousand is already good enough! Just look at the Li family’s Fourth Legion, haha, only eight hundred!”

“His Majesty is clearly showing that he doesn’t like the Li family…”

“Who provoked Si Qi? A bunch of fools!”

After speaking, someone looked towards the head of the Si family sitting at the top position, clearly being supported by a group of big shots around him, and shook his head, sighing, “Some people really have it good!”

Clearly, not long ago, he was still mired in difficulties and unable to turn things around. But now, thanks to his son’s success, he had overnight become the most popular noble in the entire empire.

It would be impossible to say that he didn’t envy Father Si for having such a promising son like Si Qi!

“I actually think it’s not because of that repellent.”

One person suddenly said meaningfully.

“Hmm? What do you mean by that?”

Someone nearby quickly asked.

The person speaking, with an inscrutable demeanor, said, “His Majesty personally visited the research institute yesterday afternoon.”

“Research institute? The one where Si Qi is?”

“Yes.” The speaker lowered his voice, speaking mysteriously, “It is said that after His Majesty went there, he stayed in the research institute for a full four hours! When he left, the smile on his face was so big it couldn’t be hidden, just like when Si Qi presented the expulsion potion to His Majesty!”

“Hiss——”

“Are you implying…?”

“I bet that Si Qi has come up with something amazing again,” this person said with a serious expression. “Just wait and see, this kid’s future achievements will definitely be remarkable.”

As soon as the words were spoken, before the people around could either nod in agreement or remain silent and observant, a sudden noise came from outside the door.

Everyone instinctively stopped talking and turned to look at the door with serious expressions, their gazes level with their own when sitting—everyone knew that Si Qi was in a wheelchair.

Then, a young man dressed in a light blue suit, exuding vibrant energy from head to toe, strode in.

Everyone looked at the newcomer’s face, instinctively smiled, and stood up to greet them.

Then, the smile at the corner of their mouths froze, and in disbelief, they looked at Si Qi’s face once more. After confirming it was true, they all widened their eyes and looked at Si Qi’s legs.

Straight, long, with incredibly beautiful lines, legs that were walking.

The words they wanted to say got stuck in their throats. Everyone in the room, except for Father Si, stared blankly as Si Qi walked into the conference room, sat down at his seat leisurely, and then…

The conference room, quiet enough that you could hear a pin drop, suddenly erupted.

“Wait, your legs?!”

“How can you leave?!”

“What is going on!!”

Si Qi looked at the panicked crowd with a smile, one elbow casually resting on the table, and the other hand beckoning to the side.

Immediately, an assistant stepped forward and handed each person a vial of medicine and a document.

Watching everyone look astonished and speechless, dumbfounded as they received the items, Si Qi smiled and said, “Everyone, don’t worry, let me explain slowly… Let’s take a look at today’s meeting topic, gene enhancement potion.”

“……”

The speaker on stage was speaking slowly, while the group below listened attentively with their ears perked up. A long meeting lasted for more than two hours. The group first experienced a shock, disbelief, then returned to reality with beaming faces. Finally, they argued fiercely over the rights to use the potion, almost coming to blows.

Si Qi received countless applause amidst the overwhelming praise from a group of people singing his praises. Father Si, in turn, gained numerous collaborations and benefits from this, so much so that just because of this meeting, the already soaring momentum of the Si family was further elevated, firmly establishing their position.

The only one present yet forcing a smile was probably the head of the Li family, who was excluded from the crowd from beginning to end, surrounded by a cold and desolate atmosphere as if he didn’t exist.

His situation was the complete opposite of Father Si’s; while Father Si was surrounded by a crowd, he was all alone.

However, he had been a veteran figure in charge of such a large legion for many years, so he could still handle this situation. He forced a smile and took the initiative to talk to Si Qi, even ignoring the sarcastic remarks from those around him and keeping a low profile.

If Si Qi had previously produced the Dispelling Agent, the Li family could still have held their heads high and refused to admit their mistakes.

This time, Si Qi took out gene enhancement potions that everyone could use, and it was clear that in the future, he would definitely be able to produce more highly sought-after items—if the Li family didn’t quickly back down, they would really be foolish.

Compared to Sun Ba’s vague and ethereal prophetic abilities, the tangible benefits before him was the most practical.

Si Qi looked at the middle-aged man in front of him with a half-smile, thinking about the hardships his father had endured recently and the suffering the original owner had gone through. He had no intention of letting the other off lightly.

It’s just that even if he didn’t personally say the words of forgiveness, merely not showing a grim face in front of the head of the Li family and treating him like air would be enough for the head of the Li family to breathe a sigh of relief and feel secretly grateful.

Not to mention, Si Qi even took the initiative to make a request to him.

Si Qi said, “The day before yesterday, Sun Ba found me and said those things to me. You should have heard about it from your daughter afterward, right?”

The head of the Li family looked embarrassed and said with a face full of shame, “This… I was also deceived by that guy. He said he had something important to tell you, but who knew he would say such shameless things. I’ll go back and discipline him properly right away, and I won’t let him come to you and embarrass himself again.”

Si Qi chuckled, “You’d better keep a close eye on him, better not let him out of the door—he seems like a restless one to me.”

“Of course, of course.” The head of the Li family laughed like a blooming chrysanthemum and immediately agreed without a second thought.

Si Qi’s suggestion actually happened to align perfectly with his own thoughts. Given Sun Ba’s knack for causing trouble and that peculiar ability to predict events, it would be best to keep him locked up in the mansion and not let him go anywhere. This way, he wouldn’t bring disaster to the Li family, and if needed, he could be used at any time. What a great idea.

As for Sun Ba’s personal thoughts…

Who cared!

Now, throughout the entire empire, it is estimated that apart from his troublesome daughter, no one considered Sun Ba as anything significant. Who would care about whether he was living well or if he was free?

This simple sentence from Si Qi almost completely buried the possibility of Sun Ba and others teaming up. Given Sun Ba’s temperament, he would probably hold a grudge against the Li family for a long time and wouldn’t easily reveal the method to close the passage.

By the time he set aside his so-called pride and decided to inform the Li family of his greatest trump card… with Si Qi’s efficiency in completing tasks, his trump card might not even have the chance to be used before it became obsolete.

After the meeting, Si Qi returned to the research institute. Along the way, many people saw him walking on the road, took photos, and posted them online, attracting significant public attention.

Netizens were buzzing with discussions as they looked at the photo of their boss Qi on the webpage:

“Is this an old photo?”

“Woohoo, my Qi Qi, such an outstanding young man, will never be able to stand up again in this lifetime. Just thinking about it makes my heart ache…”

“Wait, didn’t you notice that the people following him are all big shots from other legions?”

“The newly appointed commander of the Seventh Legion is also here!! Is this a photo taken recently????”

“Its edited”

“Wow! My brother is serving in the Si family military group, and he just told me that the young master of the Si family has stood up!!! He even sent me a photo that’s been circulating in their group!! [image][image] The young master of the Si family has really recovered his legs ahhhhhh!!!”

“Wow, is this for real? This is amazing!! Even the heavens are looking out for our young master, helping him heal his leg injury!!”

“Wait, didn’t they say before that Si Qi had a nerve problem and that it couldn’t be treated with current medical technology? How did it suddenly get better?”

“Um, there’s something I don’t know if I can say… Wuwuwu… I’m so excited right now.”

“What’s going on upstairs?”

“Hey, are you talking about the same thing I know? I feel like I’m floating right now, doubting if I’m dreaming…”

“Are you talking about the text message the government sent to veterans? My dad received it too. He was sitting alone in the living room, secretly wiping his tears, and it scared me…”

“Yes, yes, the country said the research institute has developed a new type of medicine that can treat almost all injuries and illnesses except for external wounds, inviting all veterans who retired due to injuries to go back and receive free treatment.”

“Impressive, my country!”

“Are you serious? All injuries and illnesses except for external ones? That’s just too much!”

“The information released by the authorities, how could it possibly be fake?”

“Wait… you said the research institute has developed a new type of drug? The name of this drug, it doesn’t start with the number 47 again, does it?”

“?! Now that you mention it, I really think only Si Qi could develop such a miraculous medicine! After all, he even created the Dispelling Agent!! Is there anything he can’t do?!!”

“If it’s true, I’ll immediately set up a longevity tablet for Si Qi at home, praying for his lifelong happiness, health, and longevity.”

“So what exactly is the truth? I’ve been watching for so long and still can’t see a definite result. It’s driving me crazy!”

Netizens were anxiously refreshing the online news, eager to see if Si Qi had truly recovered. The rumors about the “treatment drug” also garnered more and more attention as time passed.

It was as if they sensed the call of the netizens. One day at noon, the empire’s officials suddenly held a press conference, inviting most of the mainstream media and even online platforms to provide live coverage, quickly attracting the attention of many citizens.

They only saw on the other side of the screen, many scholars and doctors wearing white coats, with glasses on their noses, looking refined and elegant, one by one walked to the podium and took their seats. Next were the generals in solemn military uniforms, exuding an air of authority, and finally, at the back, the youngest one, who without a doubt instantly captured ninety-nine percent of the audience’s attention, Si Qi.

The audience on-site and outside the venue erupted in a series of gasps.

“He stood up!!”

“Really recovered!!”

Many people’s intense gazes seemed almost capable of burning holes in the podium. Si Qi and the others smiled as they took their seats, and as soon as they introduced themselves, the media below desperately tried to raise their hands to ask questions, each one more excited than the last.

A lucky reporter, who was the first to be called, quickly stood up to ask, “First of all, congratulations on your recovery, Young Master Si. We are really happy to see you back to health—recently, there have been rumors online that the research institute has developed a new treatment drug that can cure most internal injuries. Is this true? Did your legs heal because you took that drug?”

Si Qi smiled and picked up the microphone, “Thank you all for your concern. This young lady is correct; we have indeed developed a brand new gene enhancement potion that can slightly enhance human qualities while addressing almost all diseases except for external injuries. My leg recovered because I took that potion.”

The crowd below suddenly showed expressions of joy, unable to contain their excitement. The reporter continued to ask, “Could you please explain the specific effects of this potion to us?”

Si Qi smiled as he looked at the scholars nearby: “Let’s leave this task to our scholars to solve.”

A few elderly people, averaging around sixty years old, stood up on their own and began explaining to the public, in front of the screen, how this drug, independently developed by Si Qi, could potentially change the course of future medical history for humanity.

At the same time, accompanying the explanation, there were also soldiers in military uniforms, ranging in age from their teens to their fifties, who walked up from behind.

They looked solemn, and upon seeing Si Qi, their eyes showed gratitude as they walked up straight. On the screen beside them was the diagnostic information from when they retired from the army before taking the medication.

A reporter curiously asked, “Why do only soldiers get to enjoy this kind of medication first?”

A scholar said seriously, “Your statement is not accurate; this is not enjoyment, but ‘sacrifice’.”

“They sacrificed their health and even their lives to ensure our safety. What we are doing now is merely a small compensation, a way to mend the barn after the sheep are lost. This is what we should be doing for them.”

“They are the heroes of the Empire!”

The reporter who had spoken earlier immediately fell silent, a look of regret on his face, and apologized, saying, “It was my choice of words that was incorrect. I apologize to the soldiers whom I misunderstood.”

The soldiers above, both brothers and sisters, showed warm smiles, indicating that they didn’t mind.

The press conference continued for over two hours in this question-and-answer format. As it gradually approached its conclusion, Si Qi slowly stood up amidst the applause of the audience, using his speech to conclude the press conference.

He smiled and said, “In the near future, such press conferences will definitely be held again, so please stay tuned.”

With just one sentence, the atmosphere at the scene, which had finally settled down with great difficulty, was once again completely ignited!

Everyone’s gaze was focused on Si Qi, hoping for another miracle to befall him.

Only sitting in front of the television, holding a wine glass in hand, the frustrated Sun Ba, watching this familiar scene before him, painfully curled up his body.

In this second chance at life, it seemed like nothing had changed for him.

On the contrary, the person he both envied and hated had become even more powerful.