Chapter 254 - 254: Honey Antidote
“You are clever,” Loya didn’t say anything further. Having known Liao Ning for a long time, it would be unusual for her to hand over the recipe willingly.
“It’s not within my control whether you live or die. The king is in a coma, and even if I spare you, the royal family and the nobles won’t let you escape.”
Loya gazed at Liao Ning for a moment before speaking, “But if someone can save the king, I will plead for your life.”
Loya’s intention was evident – she sought the antidote, which Liao Ning didn’t possess.
Helplessly, Liao Ning replied, “I don’t have the antidote. You know I didn’t poison you. I don’t have it.”
“You can create the antidote for the Loyalty Potion, yet you can’t cure this poison?” Loya questioned.
From her pocket, Loya produced a small piece of kale and a packet of medicinal powder. “You have two hours. If you possess the antidote, you will live. If not, you can write down the recipe of the ancient delicacies. Perhaps Liao Nai will survive.”
With that, Loya departed from the cell.
As soon as the door closed, the long-awaited system notification chimed.
[Ding! Host has triggered a challenging mission: Detoxification Agent Narrow Escape. Mission Requirement: Create the antidote to save the king and escape from the cell smoothly. Mission Reward: 100,000 system points, 20 million interstellar space coins, mysterious clue of the empire.]
Upon hearing the system mission, Liao Ning was left speechless. The mission’s name alone indicated its difficulty. Surviving would yield substantial rewards, but failure meant losing everything.
However, she had no knowledge of how to detoxify the poison, and there was no one in the cell to attempt any detoxification methods. She wasn’t about to consume the poisonous kale and rely on trial and error within the confines of the cell.
“System, is there any way to hasten death? This is an S+ mission! I object!” Yet, her protest fell on deaf ears.
[Ding! System Notification: Due to the heightened difficulty of this mission, the host can trade for one opportunity of external assistance. The exchange requires 100,000 system points. Hint: The Multi-Feather Butterfly possesses a unique antidote formula. Do you wish to immediately exchange for the chance
of external help?]
“Yes, now!” Liao Ning agreed without hesitation.
She had no room for extensive contemplation in this dire situation. The system presented her with an opportunity, and if she didn’t seize it, she would face certain death.
[Exchange successful! Within two hours, the host can utilize the local area network to establish contact with the outside world. Hint: Villain No. I’s evil value has increased. The current evil value is 25%. Host, please address this issue promptly.]
Hearing that Liao Nai’s evil value had risen, Liao Ning grew increasingly anxious. She remembered Zhou Ling mentioning that his necklace contained scale powder from the Multi-Feather Butterfly, indicating he might possess a way to locate it.
Despite the limited access of the local area network, Liao Ning still reached out to Zhou Ling through the Al.
[The king has been poisoned, and I’m imprisoned in the underground cell. There’s residual green kale in the pocket of the jacket I wore during yesterday’s live-stream. Hurry and analyze the poison’s composition and locate the Multi-Feather Butterfly. It holds the antidote formula.] The basement’s signal was abysmal. The Al managed to transmit the message, but Zhou Ling couldn’t maintain further contact with Liao Ning.
He had to stealthily enter Liao Ning’s room and retrieve the green licorice. However, before he could test the poison within, the royal laboratory had already uncovered the answer.
Zhou Ling infiltrated the laboratory and overheard the conversation between two elves.
“They’re using pollen from the green furballs to create the poison. No wonder it eluded detection on the green kale.”
“I doubt anyone aside from the Elder can provide an antidote. I fear the king won’t last much longer.”
“Green furballs are naturally toxic, and even the elves dare not provoke them.
Who could be so audacious?”
“Lower your voice. You forgot that the higher-ups strictly forbid us from discussing this. Just state that the ancient delicacies are poisonous. Let’s not stir up any trouble. ”
As the two individuals departed from the laboratory, Zhou Ling covertly used the Al hidden in his belly to contact Zhou Ye and inform him of the situation.
Upon learning that the green furball was poisoned by pollen, Davies furrowed his brows and remarked, ‘Whoever orchestrated this wanted a slow death. There’s barely any antidote available for green furball pollen, unless we can locate an Elder from the elves. Thankfully, I possess knowledge of the Multi-Feather Butterfly.”
Zhou Ye anxiously pleaded, “Don’t keep me in suspense. Tell me what you have in mind. ”
“There is a way, but it involves creating an ancient delicacy. I’ve shared the method with you, but only the live-streamer, Liao Ning, has the capability to prepare it.”
Davies shrugged. “But can she assist us at this moment?”
Zhou Ye interjected, “Davier, just say it—Liao Ning can do it. It’s a life-saving antidote!”
“Very well, I will explain how to concoct the purple fire lotus honey..”