"You want to become a Potion Master?"
A cold voice rang out as a woman with flowing long hair and an icy expression emerged. Tall and poised, she naturally exuded an air of arrogance.
Security guard Xiao Wang didn't even dare to meet her gaze; he just mumbled something quietly before leaving the floor.
"Yes, I'd like to give it a try." Chen Shu kept studying her.
"This isn't a playground for children. Go back."
The woman turned and left without ever looking Chen Shu in the eye.
"What's wrong with Xiaoyu? Introducing all sorts of people to the company, just adding trouble."
"My interview hasn't even started yet!" Chen Shu shouted loudly.
"It's already over!"
The woman's cold voice drifted back as she disappeared into the laboratory.
Options appeared before Chen Shu again.
[Option 1: Stay silent and go home dejected.]
Completion reward: Obtain title "Die Before Achieving Success", wearing effect: Loser aura +1
[Option 2: When she's not paying attention, kick her in the butt, making her lose composure and become furious.]
Completion reward: Medium amount of Beast Taming Power
[Option 3: Secretly sneak into the laboratory and look for opportunities.]
Completion reward: 'Charge' skill +1
Chen Shu watched her retreating figure. Although he was sorely tempted by the second option, reason held him back. Kicking her would not only cost him the job for good, but also earn her lasting hatred.
"Let's sneak in first and see what happens."
Seeing the woman was gone, Chen Shu swaggered to the laboratory entrance. "Oh, how convenient," he thought, casually grabbing a white lab coat hanging by the door. He threw it on, added a mask, and strolled into the laboratory, blending in instantly as if he owned the place.
Chen Shu walked into a small laboratory where three people were concentrating on brewing potions.
The three each had their roles, brewing Flame Potions.
"Everyone busy?" Chen Shu asked in a friendly tone, his hands clasped behind his back.
The three workers looked over, and though unsure who he was, they smiled and nodded.
"Being busy is good, being busy is good," Chen Shu continued, walking away with his hands still behind his back. "The company can't function without you backbone workers."
"Take care, leader," one person called out, assuming he was a visiting executive.
Chen Shu nearly tripped over his own feet. He hadn't expected to actually be mistaken for leadership.
His confidence shot through the roof as he began strutting around on an official inspection tour.
"Hm? Finally found the Strength Potion lab."
Chen Shu's face lit up as he entered the laboratory.
But no one was inside—they must have gone to handle something.
"Should I wait?" Chen Shu idled around the laboratory.
After a few minutes, he saw various medicinal materials on the table, including five precious Power Flowers.
Chen Shu's heart stirred as he picked up the materials.
His system's potion studies showed Strength Potion as brewable. Should he brew it?
Chen Shu was curious and chose to brew.
Suddenly, he felt himself slip into a weird trance-like state, as if the system had taken the wheel.
His hands moved with mechanical precision, grabbing refined materials and measuring them into the container with perfect ratios.
Soon, the white potion in the container gave off a mild sweet fragrance—exactly the Strength Potion sold on the market.
"Low-Grade Strength Potion brewing successful. When brewed 10 times, unlock Medium-Grade Strength Potion! 1/10"
Chen Shu was slightly surprised by how user-friendly the system was.
Medium-Grade Strength Potion worked for Level 4-6 contract spirits. The materials were similar, but required two Power Flowers and doubled brewing difficulty, naturally doubling the price.
"Wonder how many bottles I made."
Chen Shu poured the potion into standard-sized bottles.
Soon, thirteen bottles of Strength Potion sat on the table—worth over 60,000 yuan.
His costs were under 20,000 yuan. This was the truly profitable industry.
Of course, the most profitable thing wasn't Strength Potion, but his system.
Depending on a Potion Master's skill level, they could brew five to ten bottles of Strength Potion.
Average Potion Masters could only make five bottles, with the possibility of failure.
Since Chen Shu used the system, he naturally achieved the highest level of ten bottles.
Plus his Control-level proficiency reduced materials by 30%, giving 30% extra output—that's how he got thirteen bottles.
"Isn't producing thirteen bottles at once too flashy?" Chen Shu couldn't help thinking.
Just then, footsteps approached.
Chen Shu quickly stored seven bottles in his system space.
The laboratory door opened as two people in white coats entered.
"Hm? Who are you?" Xu Qingxue frowned with unfriendly eyes.
Terrible! It's her!
Chen Shu's heart sank, not expecting the very woman who'd treated him coldly.
"The laboratory layout is quite nice."
Chen Shu clasped his hands behind his back, nodded approvingly, and walked toward the door as if nothing happened.
"It's you!" Xu Qingxue immediately realized. "That student!"
"Holy crap, you could still recognize me?"
Chen Shu hadn't expected her to react so quickly and had to remove his mask.
"You dare enter the laboratory without permission?" Xu Qingxue's eyes blazed with anger at his boldness.
"Miss, I really did come for an interview. Why make things difficult for me?" Chen Shu said.
The two stared each other down.
"Huh? These potions?" The potion master accompanying Xu Qingxue suddenly noticed the six bottles on the lab table. He stepped forward, leaned in to smell them, and exclaimed in disbelief, "These are real Strength Potions!"
Xu Qingxue also reacted, looking at Chen Shu incredulously: "You brewed these?"
"I told you, I really can brew Strength Potions." Chen Shu spread his hands helplessly.
A high school student actually brewing Strength Potions—six bottles no less—meant his skill surpassed average Potion Masters.
This mind-blowing revelation left them both speechless.
Turns out some people really are just here to make up the numbers...*
After a long pause—
Xu Qingxue swallowed and asked: "Is your potion brewing failure rate high?"
"I basically never fail." Chen Shu said.
"On behalf of the company, I hope you'll become our department's Potion Master!" Xu Qingxue said solemnly, feeling somewhat regretful.
Thick fog rises—turns out the beast of burden was myself all along.*
"Your previous attitude—Uncle Chen here really doesn't like it."
Chen Shu raised an eyebrow slightly, shook his head, and looked at Xu Qingxue with playful mockery.