Cultivation is just so scientific!

Chapter 1 Coercion

”Donʼt make a sound, or Iʼll kill you!”

A hoarse voice sounded in his ears, and Li Shiming felt a slight prick at the back of his neck.

He was being controlled by a sharp weapon!

He had never imagined that while taking a walk in his own garden in the magistrateʼs backyard in Nanling Prefecture, he would be kidnapped.

”Donʼt do anything foolish. I do not wish to hurt you, just help me with some tasks!” the hoarse voice continued.

Li Shiming dared not move. As the person behind him drew closer, a strong smell of blood reached his nose.

The person behind was pleased with his sensible response, lacking the recklessness typical of scholars. If there had been any other way, he wouldnʼt have resorted to threatening the magistrateʼs son.

”May I know what you would have me do?” Li Shiming asked, steadying his mind.

”Mr. Li, before you help me, first take this pill!” the person retracted their weapon and said.

Then, a bloodied hand placed a black pill next to Li Shimingʼs head.

Hearing the person behind him utter his name, Li Shiming was startled. The person dared to kidnap him even after knowing his identity, which meant they were either reckless or extremely confident.

Though the pricking sensation at his neck had disappeared, he still dared not resist. His body was only that of a fifteen-year-old scholar, and aside from broadcast gymnastics during his school days in his previous life, he had never learned any combat skills.

He took the pill from the bloodied hand, and without looking closely, he threw it into his mouth and swallowed it.

Of course, he couldnʼt possibly just swallow a pill of unknown purpose so obediently. As he swallowed the pill, he quickly concealed it into a storage space in his mind.

The storage space, a dimension that had traveled with him.

He had discovered this space three days after finding himself transplanted into this world, embedded in a bizarre way with his universityʼs computer room from his previous life.

Whenever Li Shiming thought about the storage space, his consciousness would enter it.

The core of the entire space was composed of four cabinet-mounted large servers, IBM z15, beside which stood a dedicated uninterruptible power supply, and a tool cabinet with some maintenance tools on another wall.

Since the uninterruptible power supply had run out of electricity, rendering the large server IBM z15 useless as anything more than decoration.

However, he found that the space could be used as a storage area, where he could stow items he came into contact with.

Seeing that Li Shiming had swallowed the pill, the person behind him couldnʼt help but heave a sigh of relief.

The identity of Li Shiming made it too convenient for him to act, whereas others might be suspected when trying to procure the items he needed, but no one would suspect Mr. Li no matter what he purchased.

”Young master, the pill you swallowed is called Three-day Soul-breaking Pills. If you donʼt take the antidote within three days, your body will rot and you will die after three days. Donʼt bother looking for a doctor; even if you gave the formula of the Three-day Soul-breaking Pills to Nanlingʼs famous doctors, they would not be able to produce an antidote within three days!” a sound of a longsword being sheathed followed, then the hoarse voice spoke again.

”May I turn around? I am not accustomed to speaking like this!” Li Shiming asked in a deep voice.

”A brave spirit in the young master!” the person praised and took a step back.

Li Shiming turned around to see a middle-aged man with his left arm amputated, the stump bandaged, with faint traces of red seeping through.

Li Shiming quickly recalled something he had heard from the servant Mo Yan about a major case: just yesterday in Tianxiang Building, a man in white had killed seven dart heads from Weiyuan Escort Agency, with only Chief Escort Wang managing to escape.

Importantly, Chief Escort Wangʼs left arm had been severed by the man in white while escaping.

”Chief Escort Wang, could you perhaps tell me what you want me to do?” Li Shiming asked solemnly.

Having his identity revealed, Chief Escort Wang was not overly surprised.

As the son of a magistrate, it was normal for him to know some details of recent events, especially something as significant as the incident at Tianxiang Building.

”I have no grudge against you, young master. As long as you help me, I swear to heaven I will administer the antidote to you. I resorted to poisoning you out of desperation!” Chief Escort Wang said with a slight bow, his expression apologetic and seemingly heartfelt.

Li Shimingʼs heart remained unmoved. Having lived through two lifetimes, he was all too aware of human nature.

Regardless of whether Chief Escort Wang acted out of desperation, the fact that he had poisoned and coerced him was undeniable.

”Here is a prescription. Please help procure the ingredients and prepare the medicine and deliver it here. I believe you are intelligent enough not to tamper with the medicine. Should anything go wrong with it, Iʼll immediately know and you will lose the antidote to the Three-day Soul-breaking Pills!” Chief Escort Wang said, seeing that Li Shiming was unswayed by his appeal and thus handed him a piece of paper with a threat.

The paper was quite old, listing several ingredients along with their quantities and stipulated age, as well as the method of preparation.

”It will take some time to gather the ingredients listed on the prescription. I will do my best to deliver the medicine tonight!” Li Shiming said solemnly after glancing at the prescription.

According to his memory, the ingredients on the prescription were extremely rare, and even using the resources of the manor, it would take considerable time to obtain them.

Though he wasnʼt truly under the threat of the Three-day Soul-breaking Pills, a thorough performance was still necessary.

”Good, Iʼll wait for you behind the artificial hill!” Chief Escort Wang knew it wasnʼt easy to acquire the ingredients listed on the prescription, otherwise, he wouldnʼt have gone to such lengths and could have had someone else handle it.

”I hope that Chief Escort Wang will keep his oath!” Li Shiming put away the prescription, looking deeply at him as he spoke.

After speaking, he turned and left. Chief Escort Wang watched his departing figure, a glint of admiration flashing in his eyes.

However, his admiration soon turned into deadly intent. No matter what, he could not let Li Shiming live. Having thoroughly offended Li Shiming, even if he surrendered the antidote, if the magistrate learned of this affair, his nine lives wouldnʼt suffice to save him.