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Chapter 395: Men vs Machine

In his studies, Kevin also learned about the cost and efficiency of extracting essences. For instance, extracting the essence of earth-grade herbs weighing 1 kg would cost around 50 omnitokens, with an extraction rate ranging from 20% to 30%. This percentage varied based on factors such as the quality of the herb and other variables. Unfortunately, the extractor wasn't yet capable of extracting essences from ores or living organisms. To achieve that functionality, he would need to invest a further 10 million tokens in upgrades.

At his current equipment level, Kevin could only extract herb essences up to Haven Grade One, a significant achievement since no alchemist in Lucima City could match this capability.

After thoroughly reading the manual, Kevin started to investigate the alchemical market, studying the prices of essences and extraction rates. He was surprised to find that most alchemists typically yielded only about 10% to 15% of essence per kilogram of herbs. This meant that from a kilogram of herbs, they could extract approximately 100 to 150 grams of essence. The most skilled alchemists could push this yield to around 50%, and the absolute top-tier could achieve up to 70% extraction efficiency which was said to be the most yield one can get.

Reaching such high extraction efficiencies seemed nearly impossible to Kevin at the moment, but he entertained the idea that with enough upgrades to the essence extractor, he might achieve it someday. For now, he shifted his focus to researching the market prices for herb

essences.

The market price for essence extracted from Earth Grade herbs varied widely depending on their levels and quality. On average, it fetched about 1000 units per 10 grams. This amount could be utilized to produce one or two alchemy products based on specific needs.

With that in mind, Kevin decided to order some herbs. Among the most sought-after on the market was a herb known as Qi Grass, primarily used in Qi Potions. There were numerous recipes for Qi Potions, but Qi Grass featured in most of them. Given the high demand for Qi Potions, which were among the top-selling alchemy products, Qi Grass was consistently in high demand. Many alchemists preferred purchasing it from shops rather than extracting it themselves, as this saved them the hassle of acquiring the herb and then extracting its

essence.

Kevin checked the market price and found that one kilogram of Qi Grass cost about 5000 units. His newly acquired essence extractor could process up to 10 kilograms at once, so he decided to order 5 kilograms to ensure he didn't overwork the machine he had just acquired.

He also ordered several other herbs commonly used in Qi Potions, such as Bloodlight Lily and Birdflower Seeds. These herbs were often sold together with Qi Grass, either as a bundle or individually, catering to different customer preferences. In total, he ordered approximately 25 kilograms of various herbs, spending nearly 85,000 units on the purchase.

To cover the transportation for twenty kilograms of herbs, it would cost him 1250 Omni token, a significant amount but a small fraction compared to the price he had paid for the essence extractor itself. Now, Kevin had to figure out how to explain the sudden appearance of the machine and the expansion of his store to his employees.

Kevin stood behind the counter and casually asked his employees, "Did anyone go into the store room before me today?"

Sia, busy wrapping a product for a customer, replied without looking up, "Nope, I came in first and had customers waiting outside, so I dove right into it."

Chloe and Amy shook their heads in unison, indicating they hadn't ventured into the storeroom either. Kevin smiled knowingly and remarked, "Well, you would have been in for a surprise if you had."

"Why, is there something strange in there?" Sia asked, her expression turning suspicious as she glanced at Kevin.

Kevin shook his head reassuringly and replied, "Nothing strange, just some new things I brought in last night. You can check them out when you have some free time."

His employees seemed to relax a bit, the tension in the air dissipating. They didn't press further about when or how the store had expanded, and Kevin was relieved he didn't have to explain that it had all happened overnight. He had also chosen not to disclose the existence of the extractor to them, unsure if such advanced machinery existed in their world. "Alright, everyone," Kevin began, catching their attention. "I wanted to update you all on something important. Last night, the store underwent an expansion." He paused, gauging their reactions, which ranged from surprise to intrigue.

Chloe raised her hand tentatively. "So, that's what you were asking about earlier?"

Kevin nodded. "Yes, exactly. We now have a new section in the store dedicated to alchemy equipment and supplies."

Amy's eyes widened. "Alchemy equipment? Like what?"

Kevin gestured towards the door leading to the expanded section. "Come with me, and I'll show you."

They followed him into the newly expanded room, where the essence extractor stood prominently in the center. Shelves lined the walls, stocked with various herbs and alchemical ingredients. The room was clean, well-lit, and organized, a stark contrast to the cramped storage they were accustomed to.

"This," Kevin said proudly, gesturing towards the extractor, "is an essence extractor. It allows us to extract essences from herbs more efficiently than traditional methods." Sia stepped closer, examining the machine with keen interest. "How does it work?"

He began explaining its workings and other details, emphasizing the importance of keeping it confidential. The machine was both expensive and rare, something he had acquired through immense effort, and he cautioned them that others might attempt to forcibly take it if they knew about its existence.

His employees listened attentively, noting the seriousness etched on Kevin's face as he spoke. By the time he finished, the delivery of herbs had arrived, sparking excitement among them. Kevin's descriptions of the extractor's capabilities seemed almost fantastical to them, as they had never encountered a machine that could rival the skills of an alchemist.