"Its name is the Elemental Resonator. It transmits information through specific elemental vibrations.
However, this one is just a standard model—it can only send signals within a hundred kilometers.
If we want to transmit over longer distances, we either need higher-grade alchemical devices or we must build our own relay towers.
Of course, constructing relay towers inside another power's territory is extremely risky.
Normally, we set up the receivers outside the cities.
As long as the intel is sent out of the city, we can then use other methods to relay it further."
"Alright…" Hel looked at the half-human-sized contraption before her and sighed softly.
This world's alchemical tools felt… underdeveloped.
Or maybe it was just that the ones they could buy were of low quality—like the difference between civilian and military equipment from her previous life.
If the bought ones were this clumsy, she'd just have to make her own.
"Forget it, I'll handle this myself. You brought everything I asked you to buy, right?"
"They're all here," Witt replied. "But Selevius City didn't have any of the high-grade alchemical materials.
If you want those, I'll likely have to make a trip to the Scholars' Nation."
"Fine."
Hel took the storage ring Witt handed her and, with a flick of her wrist, released a mountain of elemental crystals.
Most were of the first and second tiers—tens of thousands of them in total—but what she released now was just a fraction of the haul.
With another motion of her hand, the hidden souls within the crystals were all drawn out and sealed into the Philosopher's Stone in her right hand.
"Alright, distribute these to the trainees," she said. "I want them reaching Tier Three as soon as possible."
Witt couldn't help but marvel again.
"Every time I see you extracting those souls, Young Master, I'm amazed.
No one in the entire continent could solve the problem of elemental crystals being unusable by mortals—until you did.
Following you really was the wisest decision I've ever made."
"Enough flattery. Here—take these."
Hel pulled out four fourth-tier elemental crystals—earth, water, wind, and fire—and handed them to Witt.
These four formed the foundation of elemental affinity.
Pure elemental-attribute crystals were rare, so elemental transcendents often relied on these four basic types to increase their power.
Efficiency was lower, though—it usually took four of these to equal one true elemental crystal.
Still, Hel's intention was clear: she wanted Witt to reach Tier Five as soon as possible.
"My gratitude, Young Master," Witt said, bowing deeply before taking his leave.
He needed to distribute the crystals to his people and ensure their strength rose quickly.
Once he was gone, Hel turned her attention back to the pile of alchemical devices on the table.
To be honest, as an alchemy master, she found them rather pathetic.
They weren't even as useful as the quick-transfer scrolls she'd once made casually.
She needed to improve them—especially the communication device.
The elemental resonance method was this world's standard for information transmission, much like radio waves in her previous life.
But it had a major flaw: the signal could be detected and deciphered.
Most nations focused on improving resonance stealth or signal strength for long-distance communication.
But Hel didn't need to follow that path.
She could take another—one far less common among humans.
The Soul Network used by the undead had given her an idea.
After all, an undead was just a body plus a soul.
By that logic, a lifeless object plus a soul could technically count as an "alchemical undead."
Not truly undead—but close enough in composition.
And if such souls could form a network, why not use it for communication?
A Soul Network didn't have to rely on undead.
It could also be built from beings with complete souls but little self-awareness—like puppets or bound spirits.
The key requirement was that the base souls couldn't carry too much memory or emotion.
Otherwise, the network's messages would become a garbled mess.
You might send, "The lord wants melons," and the receiver might hear, "The old king grew melons at midnight."
Moreover, the souls used had to contain true essence—the "True Spirit."
Only such souls could resonate on the same frequency, allowing for long-distance synchronization.
This link was far stealthier and more efficient than elemental resonance.
Hel wasn't sure if anyone in the past tens of thousands of years had thought of using a Soul Network for communication.
But the ability to seal a soul into a tiny alchemical device required incredibly fine control—something few could achieve.
Unless, of course, one had access to Goblin technology.
Their machines could transfer souls into different materials.
Hel hadn't found such devices in Research Facility B5, but Niv had once mentioned them to her in passing.
Still, with Hel's current skill, she didn't need any machine.
It was child's play for her.
So, she casually drew a soul from the Philosopher's Stone, gathered a few alchemical materials, and began to refine.
After some time, she wiped nonexistent sweat from her brow and said with satisfaction,
"As expected of me—something this complicated, done so easily."
She looked at the several finished alchemical devices on the table and nodded in approval.