Now it was time to use the products I bought from the alchemist and put the machinery into action. I walked over to the corner of the room where I had stored the chemical ingredients. I knelt down and, one by one, took out the bottles, containers, and packets, organizing them close to me.
"I had produced cocaine so many times in my past world that I don’t even need the help of the virtual laboratory for this specific purpose."
Next, I positioned the bag of coca leaves near the grinder. These were the base of the entire process. Next to it, I placed the kerosene on a low shelf, inside a sealed container to avoid leaks. Just above, I organized the sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, and sodium hydroxide in separate spots, making sure they were kept away from each other to prevent accidents. The potassium permanganate, in its metal container, was placed in a safer area away from heat sources.
I glanced around my laboratory one last time before starting. Each tank and piece of equipment seemed to wait patiently for action. "Let’s go!!! I need those pleasure crystals today." I muttered, rubbing my hands together.
I began with the grinder. I opened the bag of coca leaves and filled the top compartment with them, pushing them in carefully. I closed the lid and started turning the crank, feeling the resistance as the blades cut through the leaves. The sound of leaves being ground filled the room, and soon the lower container began to fill with fine, uniform pieces. I took the residue and poured it directly into the mixing tank.
I filled the mixing tank with kerosene, covering the ground leaves carefully. I turned on the stirring mechanism and watched as the internal blades slowly spun, mixing the two components. The liquid took on a greenish hue as the alkaloids began dissolving in the solvent. I kept a close watch on the process, adjusting the stirrer’s speed as needed. "Looks like it’s going well. Now, on to the next step."
When the mixture reached the right point, I opened the valve at the base of the tank, allowing the liquid to pass through the filter. The filtered liquid flowed into the container below while the solid leaf particles stayed behind in the sieve. "Perfect. No blockages."
I transferred the filtered liquid to the distiller. I started the system, carefully adjusting the flame at the base of the alembic. The heat began to evaporate the kerosene, which was collected and condensed in the tubes, returning to the original container to be reused. The remaining residue was a concentrated solution of the alkaloids. "This part is always delicate, but it seems to have worked."
Carefully, I poured the concentrated solution into the neutralization tank. I added hydrochloric acid in small doses, checking the pH meter to ensure the acidity was controlled. Then, I added sodium hydroxide to fully neutralize the acid. The liquid bubbled and foamed slightly, but soon it stabilized. "It’s fascinating how chemistry works so well, I felt my dick get hard. If Mary were here, I’d make her suck my dick while I produced the crystals."
I transferred the neutralized solution to the press. I adjusted the pressure and activated the mechanism, watching the liquid being forced through a specially designed membrane. The alkaloids began to separate, forming a purer extract. "This step is crucial to ensure the quality."
I poured the purified extract into the crystallization tank, adding potassium permanganate as needed to induce the formation of crystals. I stirred the liquid slowly with a rod, watching as small crystals began to form at the bottom of the tank. "The magic is happening." I smiled, seeing the result materialize.
I transferred the formed crystals to the pressure filter to remove any remaining impurities. The filter did its job impeccably, and the crystals came out clean and ready for the final step.
I placed the crystals in the small oven, adjusting the temperature to dry them completely without compromising their structure. The gentle heat did its work, and soon the crystals were dry and ready to be stored.
Finally, I carefully took the dried crystals and placed them in the storage container. I closed the metal box with a satisfying click.
After sealing the storage container with a final click, I stepped back and admired the fruit of my labor. I felt a smile grow on my face, but it quickly turned into something I couldn’t contain. I started laughing, first quietly, and then louder, with all the excitement building up inside me.
"HAHAHAHA! Cocaine hydrochloride! I DID THIS!" I shouted, raising my arms in triumph. I jumped up and down in place, laughing alone like a madman. "Being smart is so good! They have no idea who they’re dealing with!"
My joy was almost palpable, but after a few minutes of intense celebration, I realized I was panting. "Okay, calm down, calm down... Focus, Tyler." I took a deep breath and sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing my hands over my face to calm myself down. My mind was still buzzing with the euphoria of success.
I lay down, trying to relax a little, but the energy still running through me was uncontrollable. I closed my eyes and issued a mental command.
"Lab, what time is it?"
A metallic sound responded, cold and efficient:
["Beep! Midnight."]
My eyes widened. "Already?!" I asked aloud, incredulous. I hadn’t even noticed time pass while I was setting up the lab and operating the machines. "Damn, that took longer than I expected..." I sighed, but the sight of the container with the shiny crystals beside the bed brought a new wave of satisfaction.
With a gleam of curiosity in my eyes, I asked: "Lab, how many kilos of cocaine hydrochloride are here?"
After a brief moment of silence, the response came: ["Analyzing... 1.5 kg."]
My hands trembled with excitement upon hearing that. "Holy shit! I’m going to get rich!" I said, grinning widely. I looked at the container with a triumphant expression. "With this amount, I’ll more than double my initial investment. Maybe even get 50 magic crystals. This is just the beginning of everything!"
Suddenly, an idea hit me like a bucket of cold water. "Wait... today is the day." I remembered it was the crucial moment for my advancement as an Acolyte. The excitement from my experiment almost made me forget the meditation.
I carefully took the container, as if it were the most precious thing in the world, and placed it beside me. I sat cross-legged on the bed, trying to calm my breathing.
I closed my eyes and dove into my own world. My goal was clear: to carve the final code into my heart. "Focus, Tyler. It’s time to break through the barrier."
The silence around me seemed to intensify as I concentrated, my heart beating with an intensity that almost seemed like it would burst out of my chest. It was there, and I could visualize it, pulsing with an ethereal glow—the heart of my being, now filled with magical codes. The golden, imposing letters were inscribed in a complex way.
They spread around the heart, huge, almost covering the entire space, but there was still a gap, a clear space that remained unfinished, as if waiting for the last piece to complete the puzzle.
"Now." I whispered to myself. "It’s time to fill this gap."
With determination flowing through my veins, I began to visualize the final code, the last letters I needed to write to complete the process and advance. It was a simple yet intricate formula. Each stroke had to be perfect. I couldn’t make mistakes. The code had to be clean, without deviations, without flaws. My inner eyes moved as if following an invisible trail, guiding the shape, carving the letters with precision. But soon I realized the task would not be as simple as it seemed.
As I began to write, a deep pain started to consume me. It wasn’t a common physical pain, but something more... something that pierced my soul. It was as if the runes were engraving themselves into my being, not just my spirit, but the very essence of my body. The pain spread, starting in my chest and running like fire through my veins.
I tried to ignore it because of the artificial experience that allowed me to feel like I had gone through this bottleneck before, but the intensity of the pain increased, as if the code itself were consuming me. "Focus, Tyler," I whispered, trying to stay calm. "I can’t fail now..." I took a deep breath, the pain now intertwining with my concentration.
It was then that I noticed something curious. The particles of the light element began entering my body. They were like tiny sparks of pure energy, entering through my pores, as if responding to my determination. The air grew denser, almost electric, and the energy began to fill the room. The light’s glow surrounded me, illuminating my mind as I fought to maintain control.
With each stroke of the code, the pain increased, but so did the power. The particles of light that invaded my body seemed to help, as if they were nourishing my soul, strengthening my spirit to endure the pain. I was becoming something more—something greater. But at the same time, I felt like I was on the verge of an explosion.
"Just a little more," I told myself, forcing my fingers to follow the line. Sweat dripped down my forehead as I pushed myself to the limit.
Finally, the last stroke was drawn. The void in my heart, the gap that remained, was filled. I had completed the code.
I had become a Level 1 Acolyte.
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