"Hahaha, drink! White Claw Hill, the Elder certainly has a good eye for talent. This concoction known as alcohol, coupled with the Illusionary God Mushroom, is incredibly potent." A Lizardman dressed in luxurious robes gulped down his cup of alcohol, then chewed on the mushroom that had been soaked in it, looking utterly intoxicated.

Wang Linchi had arrived at this place, Claw Cliff, three days prior.

Using a few minor tricks, he had skinned and dissected the Lizardman Royal Family member known as White Claw Hill. He then disassembled the useful body parts, fashioned them into a Lizardman exoskeleton, and, disguised, infiltrated the Royal Family.

Along the journey, Wang Linchi had practiced this maneuver multiple times. It was a skill that relied on practice making perfect, rather than mere imagination. So, when he took action against White Claw Hill, everything was executed flawlessly.

White Claw Hill was indeed a member of the White Claw Empire's Royal Family, albeit from a collateral branch. He held no official rank, nor was he supported financially by the Royal Family. The White Claw Empire had stood for many years, and naturally, the Royal Family had expanded considerably. Over time, many Royal Family members found themselves with nothing but their titles. His status, at best, was merely a name recorded in the family genealogy.

"I am unworthy of your praise, Elder White Claw Mountain. You are the true pillar of the Empire," Wang Linchi said, flattering him. When asking for a favor, one should adopt a fitting attitude. The so-called 'neither servile nor overbearing' approach only works when dealing with upright individuals or those who recruit talent without adhering to rigid conventions. With a group accustomed to sycophantic compliments, this attitude would instead be a hindrance. Main characters who display neither servility nor arrogance might earn admiration, but the same can't be said for supporting characters or villains; they will only be seen as disrespectful.

"Regarding my request concerning the Enchantment Workshop..." Wang Linchi trailed off.

White Claw Mountain squinted and remained silent. He poured himself another cup of alcohol, steeped three large Illusionary God Mushrooms in it, and then said languidly, "It's going to be a bit difficult. Although you're also a member of the Royal Family, you're too far removed from His Majesty."

This didn't mean Wang Linchi wasn't qualified; rather, the Elder was asking for a bribe.

Gaining entry to the Royal Enchantment Workshop was no small feat, with eligibility being the first hurdle. Most of those who gained entry had inherited their positions, effectively meaning they were all from the same clique. Secondly, these inheritors often studied alongside various Princes from a young age. Even if factions were formed, it meant that whichever Prince successfully ascended the throne could use his own faction to quickly take control of the Enchantment Workshop. Therefore, while it was possible to insert someone, they had to be of the same age as a Prince and study alongside him for a period. If not from an enchanting lineage, they had to sever all ties with the outside world, and only by the third generation could they fully integrate. Because of this, the power struggles within the Enchantment Workshop were no less intense than those within the Royal Family itself, with numerous factions vying for control.

Of course, this wasn't an issue for White Claw Mountain. Such a strict system had been well-enforced ten years ago, but unfortunately, times had changed. The White Claw Empire had long been rotting from within, and the Enchantment Workshop was naturally in the same state. The reason was simple: in the past ten years, no White Claw Emperor who ascended to the throne was older than five years of age. The shortest-reigning White Claw Emperor sat on the throne for only three days before his sudden demise. It was quite a miracle in Wang Linchi's eyes that the entire Empire was still standing.

"Elder White Claw Mountain, you are close to His Majesty. I hope you can put in a few good words for me," Wang Linchi said, handing him a piece of paper on which a crude alcohol brewing technique was recorded.

White Claw Mountain was the Head of the Enchantment Workshop. Because the factional struggles were too severe, he had been sidelined, but slipping a person in wasn't an issue for him.

"Good, good. You have a good eye, lad." White Claw Mountain glanced at the formula and process in his hand, very pleased with Wang Linchi's astuteness.

As for Wang Linchi deceiving him? He wasn't worried in the slightest. After all, the fellow would soon be working under him. If he wanted to deal with him then, it would be effortless. Controlling a distant member of the Royal Family with no backing would be easy; no one would step forward to defend him. Once inside the Enchantment Workshop, everyone was a member of the Royal Family. On the surface, their statuses were the same; the only difference was their family background.

"Remember to report for duty at the Enchantment Workshop tomorrow morning. BURP." White Claw Mountain burped, rising to leave, somewhat tipsy.

The cause of his intoxication was not the alcohol but the Illusionary God Mushroom.

"Certainly, sir. This way, please," Wang Linchi said, escorting White Claw Mountain out.

That White Claw Mountain seemed like a fool, but he wasn't one at all. He was also extremely greedy, directly taking the alcohol brewing technique. Who knew if he planned to monopolize the alcohol business himself or if he intended to present it to his superiors as a means for promotion. The man had been a figurehead in the Enchantment Workshop for ten years. Logically, he should have been replaced by an Emperor's confidant. However, because Emperors changed so quickly, and he had lost imperial support and control, he remained sidelined. If White Claw Mountain's political senses were sharper, he wouldn't attempt either of those things and would just obediently remain a figurehead. Otherwise, he would undoubtedly end up among the Convict Soldiers banished to the frontier. Given his current political standing, he was already on the fringes of power. Trying to climb higher or squeeze his way further in would undoubtedly offend a great many people.

I just don't know if that old fox will keep his word. Most of the time, Wang Linchi was quite observant of rules. Give and take was perfectly normal; a crude alcohol brewing technique was hardly worth his notice. However, if the other party broke their promise, Wang Linchi wouldn't mind giving White Claw Mountain the skinning and boning treatment. He didn't care whose identity he used; what mattered was acquiring the Magic Enchantment Technique. He had chosen White Claw Hill because his household record was essentially a single page, and he had few relatives he kept in touch with, minimizing the risk of exposure. He only possessed fragmented memories of White Claw Hill, not the complete set. If he had chosen another Lizardman, changes in his behavior could easily expose him.

But that being said, where did these Illusionary God Mushrooms actually come from?

Wang Linchi looked at the pile of dried mushrooms in his home.

Initially, he suspected they were dumped by the Black Tooth Empire, aiming to introduce the White Claw Empire to some chemical euphoria. However, his investigation revealed this wasn't the case. The Black Tooth and White Claw Empires had no trade relations, though smuggling was possible. Given the sheer volume, the smuggled amount couldn't possibly supply an entire nation. The most likely scenario was that the Illusionary God Mushrooms were cultivated by the White Claw Empire itself. If they truly came from the Black Tooth Empire, then the Black Tooth Empire would undoubtedly be using them too. The two empires were already locked in such intense conflict; the aid provided by Illusionary God Mushrooms in battle was obvious to all.

The Illusionary God Mushroom is subpar, but it stimulates the Elemental Bloodline. Long-term consumption can increase bloodline concentration.

Wang Linchi had, of course, studied the Illusionary God Mushroom. The increase in bloodline concentration wasn't significant, and the physical damage far outweighed this benefit. The drawbacks clearly surpassed the advantages.

My initial suspicion is that the Illusionary God Mushroom is a product of the Enchantment Workshop. Wang Linchi had traced the source, but his leads pointed to many places, mostly distributors rather than producers. The true origin of the Illusionary God Mushroom remained elusive. When he attempted to cultivate it, he discovered it was impossible under normal conditions. Theoretically, the Illusionary God Mushroom, being a fungus, should require warm, humid conditions for cultivation. However, all his attempts failed without exception. Even the freshest specimens couldn't be transplanted, suggesting they were restricted to a specific region. Furthermore, the Illusionary God Mushrooms found in the market were mostly processed into a dried form.

Given such stringent cultivation requirements, smuggling them from the Black Tooth Empire would be prohibitively expensive, potentially crippling their economy. It made more sense for the White Claw Empire to cultivate them domestically. This would explain why the Black Tooth Empire didn't arm its soldiers with Illusionary God Mushrooms on the same large scale as the White Claw Empire. The Black Tooth Empire likely couldn't acquire such large quantities, nor could they cultivate the mushrooms themselves.

So why is the White Claw Empire cultivating Illusionary God Mushrooms? To wreak havoc... no, it's for profit! Wang Linchi suddenly realized. The White Claw Emperors were unable to manage state affairs, allowing the power of various factions to swell. This ultimately weakened the White Claw Empire. Precisely because they had tasted the sweetness of power, the position of White Claw Emperor was constantly changing hands, and each enthroned Emperor was deliberately kept young to prevent them from seizing back real authority. This wasn't just the work of court officials; members of the Royal Family itself were involved. No one wanted someone above them holding the power of life and death.

Some Lizardmen had foreseen that these actions would gradually weaken the White Claw Empire, leading to its eventual absorption by the Black Tooth Empire. These individuals had been desperately trying to hold things together, acting like Paste Makers. However, these very people were also targets of persecution. Once they were all eliminated—no, even before they were all gone, if the White Claw Empire weakened just a bit more—it would be unable to fend off the Black Tooth Empire's assault. The higher-ups didn't care. They could simply draft a declaration of surrender, acknowledge the Black Tooth Empire as the legitimate successor to the Golden Pupil Empire, and given their existing status, surrendering wouldn't pose any significant problems for them.