Chapter 68: Alchemist / 8.2 : AttrapeMort
Zishu looked at the door when someone knocked.
"Come in."
a man came in and said:
"I’m sorry to bother you presidents Wang but you told me to let you know if anyone orders particular elements."
"What was the order?"
"Yesterday night someone made an urgent order who has to be delivered in the hour to Dr.Wu’s laboratory. There’s adder’s tongue, anemone, dandelion root, and leaf. There’s also parrow entrails, goldenseal, hangman’s rope, rose geranium, ectoplasm, blackthorn, and amethyst."
Zishu looked at Zhenxuan and he looked back. Zishu ordered:
"Prepare the order right away we’ll deliver it."
"Yes, president."
When the man left Zishu walked to Zhenxuan and leaned on the desk looking at him hopefully.
"Don’t get your hopes up you’ll only end up disappointed."
"Whoever made the order must be a proficient Alchemist. Anemone or blackthorn are only used by those who have more than forty years of experience."
Zhenxuan sighed.
"Brother I don’t want you to be sad like last time."
Zishu caressed his brother’s head with an affectionate smile.
"No matter what happens you’ll never go through it alone."
Zhenxuan smiled.
"I know."
He doesn’t know what he would do without Zishu. Actually he does, he would die and vice versa. He knows that if he died he would follow him, he just didn’t think it would be this difficult to see him be disappointed and sad every time they thought they finally met the Alchemist who can save him. He’s angrier at the fact that Zishu suffers than being poisoned.
Eden looked at the door when it opened and a few men carrying his order entered. He stood up and said:
"You can put everything on this table."
The men followed his order and when everything was on the table they left. He stood in front of the table making sure that everything was indeed here. When he was sure that it was he turned around and saw that they were still two men standing there. Eden scanned them.
They had a chiseled jawline and their almond-shaped eyes were gold. Their hair was wavy and dark and they had well-set straight noses with full lips. Their dark three-piece suit fitted them to perfection. you could see their muscles underneath it and they looked like your typical overbearing president. They were identical in every way. Eden asked:
"Is there something I can do for you?"
Zishu smiled as he walked in. He took Eden’s hand shaking it.
"Hello I’m Zishu and this is my brother Zhenxuan.
Eden smiled and said:
"Hello, I’m Eden ."
He quickly peeked at Zhenxuan who was still looking at him expressionlessly.
"Are you the one who made the order at Wang Elements?"
Eden nodded.
"Is it for you?"
Eden nodded again.
Zishu asked:
"Are you an Alchemist?"
"I am."
The twins looked at Eden surprised. Usually, alchemists are in their late fifties or older so it’s hard to believe that the cute youth in front of them was one. Zhenxuan walked to Eden facing him next to his brother and asked:
"How old are you?"
"I’m..."
Before Eden could answer he tilted his head curiously then he took a step toward Zhenxuan.
He stood in front of him and leaned in taking in his scent. His nose grazed his jaw as he inhaled again to make sure. He pulled back and grabbed his wrist to take his pulse. Zhenxuan stood still letting Eden examine him. When he was done Eden met Zhenxuan’s eyes as he said:
"You’ve been poisoned."
Zhenxuan simply smiled. Zishu asked:
"Do you know with what?"
"He’s been poisoned with a potion called Attrapemort, it has a very distinctive smell."
Eden asked looking at Zhenxuan:
"What happened?"
Zhenxuan seemed hesitant to tell him.
"If you don’t tell me every single steps that led you here I won’t be able to help you."
Zishu immediately said:
"My father poisoned him."
Eden frowned.
"Why?"
Zishu was about to explain but he stopped when Zhenxuan looked at him. Zishu looked back threateningly and he sighed.
Zhenxuan closed the door of the laboratory then he came back and explained:
"My twin and I have always been close. Everything about us is the same except for a few characteristics. We like the same thing and always do the same as the other. When we are apart from each other for more than five days it physically and mentally hurt us."
Zishu said:
"Even if it didn’t I wouldn’t want to be away from him."
Eden smiled.
Zhenxuan continued:
"My father always felt that it wasn’t a good thing and it all come to a head when he caught us at a hotel sharing a partner."
He looked at Eden gauging his reaction but he was simply waiting for him to continue.
"He said that he would only keep one of us as a son and told us that we have a day to choose. It was an easy decision to make."
Eden said:
"He poisoned you when you refused to choose."
Zhenxuan nodded.
"He pretended to be okay with us so he could kill me. When we found out his plan it was already too late but at least he paid with his life."
Eden looked at the twins. He knows why they feel that way, they each have half of the same soul but the other symptoms seem like something different. He felt it the moment they approached him, he met people like that before but with the twins it’s unusual. Eden checked Versem and finally understood.
The twins’ mother couldn’t have a child so an Alchemist made an elixir for her since their father desperately wanted an heir. What they didn’t know is that she was already pregnant and the elixir she used split the soul of the first child. Their soul splitting was forced and since it wasn’t natural it left a trace behind. Because of it each half of the soul still needs to be close to the other at all times. That’s why when they are too far from each other they are in pain. To the twins, it’s like having your body severed in two so of course, it’s going to hurt.
The fact that they feel the need to share everything including a partner is normal but their father didn’t think so. Still to go as far as killing one of them is insane. When he received the information about the universe he couldn’t understand why Yan became president of Wang elements a year after his death now he does. He saw that Zhenxuan has a year to live at most and when he died Zishu followed him. If they can’t be without each other for a few days he for sure won’t be able to survive if Zhenxuan dies. Although he’s pretty sure that Zishu would follow him willingly.
Eden announced:
"You have a year to live."
Zhenxuan immediately looked at his brother. Eden followed his eyes and they landed on Zishu whose pain was clear for all to see. He felt a lump in his throat but he smiled reassuringly:
"I can make an elixir of life."
The twins looked at Eden stunned. Why would he help them when they’re stranger? They know that not the whole world is evil but he’s talking about making an elixir of life for someone he doesn’t know when it’s something people would pay millions for.
Zhenxuan asked confused:
"Why would you help us?"
Eden simply said:
"My grandfather taught me alchemy when I was a kid. He always believed that alchemists should help anyone in need and I agree. If I can save your life why wouldn’t I?"
They both felt their heart beat faster when they saw the bright smile on Eden’s face. Eden walked to his desk and took a seat. He grabbed a piece of paper and started writing. Zhenxuan leaned behind him reading above his shoulder. When Eden finished he turned around and came face to face with him. Eden narrowed his eyes and pushed him then he handed him the paper. Zhenxuan took it with an amused smile.
"This is all the ingredients you’ll need to bring me. I wrote next to it where you can get them if you can’t find them locally."
Zishu stood next to his brother looking at the list. He said excitedly:
"We have all of those at our company."
Eden smiled.
"Bring them to me I’ll start today."
Zishu asked looking around:
"Weren’t you about to start something?"
Eden said indifferently:
"I can do it another day."
They both looked at Eden stunned again. They never met someone like him before, what he was about to do was important based on his order but he is willing to put Zhenxuan first. Eden looked at the twins who looked emotional, and they both took him in their arms.
Of course, he’s going to save them, he’ll never let his babies die. His heart aches when he thinks about their end in the original timeline. Plus he’s pretty sure Yan somehow knew. He was planning on letting his family know today that he is back but it’ll have to wait a few days. He doesn’t want to be bothered while he works in the laboratory and he will be if they know he is back in the country. The twins pulled back looking at Eden with a smile.
He smiled.
"It’ll take me three days to finish, meanwhile I don’t want anyone to know about it."
Zishu immediately said:
"We won’t say anything we promise."
To be fair except for his name they know nothing about Eden. When he ordered he didn’t put his last name so who would they tell? Even if they did know they wouldn’t, Gege is trustworthy in every universe. Eden nodded with a smile.
"Have someone deliver everything now."
Zhenxuan grabbed his cellphone and made a phone call outside.
Zishu asked teasingly:
"Who are you hiding from?"
Eden smiled maliciously not answering. Zishu smiled, he felt before that Eden was adorable but now he looked like the most enticing prey. He pulled him in his embrace his arms tightly wrapped around his waist. Eden tried to push him but his hold was extremely tight. He looked at him with narrowed eyes.
Zishu can’t tell the last time he and Zhenxuan felt this strong of an attraction for anyone. When the delivery men were dropping everything they were looking at Eden enchanted. They just felt that there was something about him different than the other partner they had. He feels drawn to Eden and he knows that Zhenxuan does too this is why he was reluctant to tell him that their father caught them sharing a partner. He was worried that Eden might think it was crazy and that their relationship is weird but he didn’t seem disgusted which makes them happy.
Eden raised an eyebrow.
"Are you done?"
Zishu smiled wider when he saw the haughty look on his face. He caressed his cheek and Eden looked into his eyes. He can tell how happy Zishu is that his brother is going to survive, but true to himself Gege is eating his fill of tofu. But those two need to pay before he can be theirs. He knows that they like to have fun, and they had a lot of fun with a lot of different people. He wants them to pay and they will.
When Zhenxuan came back Zishu still had Eden in his arms and he smiled. Eden asked:
"How long before they are here?"
Zhenxuan answered after pulling him in his arms:
"20 minutes."
Eden nodded, he grabbed his tie pulling him closer. Zhenxuan felt his heart beat faster and he leaned in to kiss him but Eden was just picking up a piece of lint off of his collar. Eden leaned back and said with a dazzling smile:
"You had something on your collar."
Zhenxuan narrowed his eyes and Zishu looked at Eden’s mocking smile his eyes shining with amusement. Eden pushed Zhenxuan and went to get everything ready.
The twins looked at him and then at each other with a smile. At least now they know that Eden isn’t indifferent. When the delivery men came the twins left and Eden started to work. At lunch, a delivery man sent by the twins brought him food and he ate. When it was late he locked the laboratory and left. He already told his chauffeur not to say anything and to drop his luggage at the hotel he’ll be staying in.
He walked out and he saw the twins standing in front of a limo. He asked with a knowing smile:
"What are you doing here?"
Zishu answered:
"We thought you might want a ride."
Eden got in and took a seat in the middle.
Zishu asked:
"Where should we drop you off?"
"Yang hotel."
Zishu gave the driver the address and the limo started to move. Eden laid his head on Zhenxuan’s shoulder and closed his tired eyes. The twins looked at his sleepy face with a smile. Eden felt Zishu playing with his hand. When they arrived Eden was about to go out of the car when they held one of his arms each.
He looked at them raising an eyebrow. Zhenxuan held his chin kissing him gently. Eden felt his tongue invade his mouth but the kiss was pure sweetness and he felt his heart beating faster. Zhenxuan pulled back and looked at Eden who was looking at him with threatening eyes. It didn’t stop him from turning his head toward Zishu. Zishu leaned in kissing him as well, the kiss was just as sweet as Zhenxuan’s. Eden pulled back looking at him. He looked down for a few seconds then he got out of the car and left without looking back. Those two are playing with fire.
