GDK 720: Adapting
“Master, have we been discovered?” Steiss immediately asked after the elderly man returned to the secret chamber.
“Not sure. But someone did break through the barrier here just moments ago. I don’t know if it had discovered what is in the other two secret chambers,” the elderly man replied with a gloomy face.
“What should we do?” Steiss was obviously panicking. “If the House of Sainte was to learn that we are doing this behind their backs, they will surely kill us all!”
“What are you worried about!” the elderly man berated. He sat unhurriedly and after thinking for a moment, instructed, “Remove anything suspicious from this place right away. I shall have to stay away from this place temporarily. Don’t worry, if the House of Sainte can’t find any incriminating evidence, they won’t do a thing. Besides, I reckon that the intruder wasn’t from the House of Sainte. Otherwise, given how the House of Sainte usually conducts themselves, they would have charged in here by now.”
“You are right, master. I will get those things moving immediately,” Steiss heaved a sigh of relief after listening to the elderly man’s explanation.
“Go. Move the unclean things from the secret chambers as quickly as possible. Also make sure you do not startle those pharmacists here for the conference,” the elderly man instructed.
Steiss knew that the situation was critical. He rushed out of the room and started arranging the matter.
Gu Li from Mirage City tossed yet another thick pharmacopeia to the side and cursed loudly, “That son of a b.i.t.c.h must be full of rubbish, there are no medical ingredients with those names! He must have made it up! Liar, this wretched liar, I must find him and get to the bottom of it!”
Gu Li then walked out from her VIP lounge and started leaving the pharmacy even though it was very late at night.
“Huh?” Gu Li was surprised to discover that in the dead of the night, there were blurry figures rapidly moving back and forth within several restricted areas in the G.o.dswamp Pharmacy. She thought that enemies had intruded the pharmacy and her heart skipped a beat. She was merely a pharmacist. Not only had she very limited strength, but she was also very much afraid of death.
After observing for a moment, she discovered that the figures seemed to be moving something from several rooms. They appeared anxious and hurried.
Gu Li did not find it all that suspicious at first. She thought that perhaps the G.o.dswamp Pharmacy had purchased some new medical ingredients. When she was about to proceed to the Celestial Pearl Pharmacy to look for Han Shuo, she suddenly heard a loud clang like the shattering of some kind of gla.s.s container.
“Stupid, be more careful! If someone was to discover this, all of you are gonna die!” a berating voice deliberately kept low sounded off from the region.
Gu Li was shocked and started to get suspicious. She carefully moved closer to the area and immediately noticed an intensely sour taste that filled the air. Gu Li creased her eyebrows and took two deep breaths. Her expression suddenly turned aghast and she hastily took out a bottle and consumed the medicine within.
It’s a poison! Gu Li managed to quickly determine what was contained in that broken gla.s.s container. As an experienced pharmacist who had been immersed in the art of medicine refinement for countless years, although Gu Li had not extensively studied about poisons, she nonetheless could easily make out the distinctive scent of poisons.
Gu Li’s curiosity was aroused but she dared not to approach directly. She took out several types of exquisite medicines that she had personally refined and carefully applied them on herself. She concealed all the scent on her body and even the fluctuation of energy in her body was stabilized.
After doing so, Gu Li gained some confidence and proceeded with approaching the place surrept.i.tiously.
As it was the dead of the night, most people’s visions were affected. Those people busy moving the incriminating pieces of evidence were in a hurry and were not paying too much attention to their surroundings. On top of that, as Gu Li had concealed her aura using special medicines, none of those people discovered Gu Li who shrouded herself in darkness and was observing not too far away.
After Gu Li clearly discerned the items that those people were moving, she was so appalled that she nearly cried out. She covered her own lips tightly with her hands. Having lost the nerve to witness any more of those objects, she slowly retreated.
Organ trafficking and refinement of poison were prohibited in all Divine Dominions. After having seen what those people were moving, Gu Li immediately realized what evil deeds the G.o.dswamp Pharmacy had been doing. Those who dared to dip their hands into illegal trades while masquerading as a lawful business usually possessed extraordinary power and wouldn’t let any outsider who discovered their wrongdoings leave alive. Gu Li understood this well and therefore she most sensibly retreated as soon as she learned of their crimes.
I can’t stay here any longer. I can’t believe the G.o.dswamp Pharmacy, one of the largest pharmacies in the Darkness Dominion, would be so daring to commit such atrocious acts. I must expose them! Gu Li thought to herself and came to a firm resolution. She started heading outside the G.o.dswamp Pharmacy.
One of the divine guards stationed at the front gate of G.o.dswamp Pharmacy recognized Gu Li, who had a queer temper. “Master Gu Li, why are you going out so late at night?”
“I… I have something to do!” Gu Li wouldn’t be so fl.u.s.tered had she not witnessed the scene just then. She might even have behaved arrogantly, completely ignored the divine guard and left with her head raised high. But at this moment, being panic-stricken, her behavior was completely different from usual. Even the divine guards stationed there found it rather strange.
“Oh, be careful then, Master Gu Li. Although the City of Shadows has been peaceful and safe, at this time of night, there could be criminals stalking the streets!” the divine guard had no idea what Gu Li had seen but he did not suspect a thing. He even kindly reminded her to be careful.
“Got… got it… I will…” Gu Li got so afraid that she started to stutter. After replying the divine guard, Gu Li left hastily.
G.o.dswamp Pharmacy did not impose too many constraints on this odd-tempered visiting pharmacist and the divine guards did not stop her from leaving but happily chatted with each other while watching her leave. They were rather bewildered as to why Gu Li was so polite and talkative that night when she usually wouldn’t even bat an eye.
Gu Li, whose heart was rattled, started running madly as soon as she walked out from the G.o.dswamp Pharmacy. This left the divine guards even more baffled.
Soon after she left, a divine guard wearing a dark face walked out from the pharmacy and arrived at the front gate. He asked the divine guards, “Did someone just leave?”
“Yea, it’s that Gu Li of Mirage City. She appeared hurried and fl.u.s.tered as though she had seen a ghost!” the divine guards keeping watch of the front gate replied casually.
After hearing those words, the person asking seemed to have suddenly recalled something and his face stiffened. He asked hastily, “Which direction has she headed?”
“In the general direction of the Sainte residence. What’s the matter?” one of the divine guards asked in a puzzled manner.
“N- nothing!” The asker was an insider. Without another word, he rapidly flew out from the G.o.dswamp Pharmacy and ran in Gu Li’s direction. He thought, s.h.i.+t, that old woman must have seen something and is now trying to inform the House of Sainte!
His judgment was correct – that was indeed Gu Li’s intention. Although queer and arrogant in character, she was an ethical pharmacist. She was very much against such practices of experimenting with poisons on living persons. Therefore, without much thought, she ran in the direction of the House of Sainte.
However, Gu Li was merely a pharmacist and had not truly put much effort into her cultivation. Soon after she ran from the G.o.dswamp Pharmacy, she heard a deep and low-pitched voice from behind her, “Stop running! I urge you not to leave the G.o.dswamp Pharmacy!”
Shoot! I’ve been found out! They’re coming to kill me!
Gu Li was greatly alarmed. Not only did she not stop, she started running even faster.
The divine guard immediately knew that Gu Li had learned of their dirt when she did not stop but ran even faster. It was then that the divine guard knew her life must be taken and a murderous thought spread through his head. He flew to the top of a lofty building, took out a strange looking crossbow, and aimed it at Gu Li. But after thinking for a bit, he lowered his bow to apply a little bit of poison on the arrow before taking aim again.
Whoos.h.!.+ A streak of chilling radiance streaked across the silent night sky. Gu Li, as a pharmacist, was a G.o.d poor in combat. Even though she heard the arrow streaking across the sky coming from behind her, she merely continued running forward in a straight line.
Chuck! The arrow hit her in the left shoulder and sent her tumbling. When she landed, her head was dizzy and she felt numbness in her shoulder. She froze, There’s poison on the arrow! I’m done, I am going to die without a doubt!
That divine guard heaved a sigh of relief as soon as the arrow struck Gu Li. He felt glad that he had applied poison on the arrow as this type of injury wouldn’t have been fatal. He did not stay still any longer and flew down the building and toward Gu Li. He was ready to kill her and destroy her body lest this secret of the G.o.dswamp Pharmacy be divulged.
At this moment, Andrina and Han Shuo, who were flying towards the Sainte Residence, heard the arrow bolting across the sky behind them. Han Shuo was stunned as he thought that the G.o.dswamp Pharmacy had discovered them. A demon general in the vicinity quickly arrived at the scene and discovered Gu Li.
“Poison… poisonous…” Gu Li murmured in a weak voice. She was only half conscious and her body had grown so numb and stiff that she could no longer move.
Han Shuo was startled. By using that demon general, he saw that a divine guard from the G.o.dswamp Pharmacy was rus.h.i.+ng towards Gu Li as though prepared to finish her.
Based on Gu Li’s words as well as that murderous look on that divine guard, after quickly thinking, Han Shuo immediately realized that Gu Li must have also realized something. Otherwise, this man from the G.o.dswamp Pharmacy wouldn’t have taken such a radical measure.
Han Shuo had actually been wondering how to explain the crimes of the G.o.dswamp Pharmacy to Andre and the others. After all, it was his demon generals who discovered and witnessed the scenes hidden behind those secret chambers. If Andre and the others asked how he had learned of it, Han Shuo would have to make up a convincing alternative explanation. But if it was Gu Li who informed of the crimes, Han Shuo would be spared from those questions.
Although Han Shuo did not like Gu Li at all, he immediately decided to save her life as she was very useful at this moment. It was also at this time that the divine guard from the G.o.dswamp Pharmacy arrived beside Gu Li. He took out a bottle of liquid giving off green smoke and was about to pour it on Gu Li.
Through the demon general’s observations back in the secret chamber, Han Shuo knew that the liquid giving off green smoke could melt a divine body into a puddle of green fluid. It was an extremely corrosive poison. If just a few drops landed on Gu Li, no matter how skillful Han Shuo was, he would have no way of saving her.
Although Han Shuo was still a distance away from the region, it didn’t mean that Han Shou was completely helpless as he had a demon general right there!
“Old fart, you have quite a temper, don’t you? Hmph, not only have you thrown a tantrum at me before, you now want to inform the House of Sainte of our crimes? Let’s see how you are going to talk when you have turned into a puddle of blood!” this divine guard groused, recalling back to all the times he had been treated poorly by Gu Li. He slowly tilted the bottle in his hand…
But suddenly, a bizarre shadow miraculously appeared. It was as though a demon had come out of the blue and struck the bottle containing the green poison. The bottle slipped out of his hand and fell to the ground. The man was shocked by the abrupt appearance of the demon general and hastily took a few steps backward.
Then, before he could draw his weapon, the demon general, baring its fangs and brandis.h.i.+ng its claws, pounced on him. If Donna was somehow there to witness the scene, perhaps she would suspect Han Shuo knew something about this strange lifeform that once appeared at the Ninth Heaven Mystical Yin Harvester. This man was clueless about the properties of demon generals. When he saw that his physical attacks against the demon general had no effect, he became fl.u.s.tered.
“What, what are you? What the h.e.l.l are you?” the man shouted in a low voice as he resisted the attacks.
Most of the demon generals refined by Cauldron Spirit were made using lowG.o.d souls. They all possessed strengths not to be belittled. As this man was completely clueless about the proper method to attack demon generals, he was forced to withdraw further and further. Meanwhile, Han Shuo was rus.h.i.+ng to this place rapidly.
This man from the G.o.dswamp Pharmacy was thrown into confusion and failed to destroy Gu Li’s divine body. Worried that divine guards could be patrolling nearby and suddenly show up, the man dared not to stay any longer and hastily left before Han Shuo arrived. He thought, Gu Li has been poisoned. Given the potency of the poison, no one should be able to save her now. There wouldn’t be a problem once she’s dead, I suppose?
With that thought, the person rapidly disappeared. Although the demon general could keep him occupied, it would have trouble killing him. Therefore, Han Shuo let him retreat.
A few minutes later, Han Shuo arrived beside Gu Li. Naturally, Andrina was there as well.
Gu Li had collapsed on the ground. Her face was green. The poison had invaded the cells in her body. Han Shuo inserted demonic yuan into Gu Li’s body to get a glimpse of her condition. Right away, he knew that it was the G.o.dswamp Pharmacy that had schemed that incident at the House of Kisa because he discovered that the poisonous compound in her body was exactly the same as that found in the deceased House of Kisa divine guard who had reportedly taken his Pill of Rejuvenation.
Han Shuo withdrew a pelleted detoxifying medicine and stuffed it into Gu Li’s mouth. Then, he grabbed Gu Li and rushed towards the Sainte Residence.
Han Shuo could not rescue that House of Kisa divine guard because he was dead before Han Shuo could get to him. Gu Li, however, was discovered in time. Just one pellet of his detoxifying medicine would allow her to completely recover. Han Shuo believed that once the G.o.dswamp Pharmacy found out that their dark secrets were exposed, they would actively try to cover them up. Therefore, Andre needed to be informed of the situation as soon as possible before the evidence was all removed.
Han Shuo did not do so for the Sainte Family but for himself. Given the current situation, Han Shuo knew that as long as the G.o.dswamp Pharmacy remained in the City of Shadows, his Celestial Pearl Pharmacy would face constant compet.i.tion and trouble. Besides, from the looks of it, they wouldn’t let Han Shuo off until he was forced out of business.
As the G.o.dswamp Pharmacy had fired the first shot and had threatened his interests, of course Han Shuo would try to eliminate and completely destroy them.
After taking the pill of detoxification, Gu Li, who was moments away from certain death, gradually became better. After probing her condition using demonic yuan, Han Shuo discovered that the toxin in her body was slowly being expelled from the pores on her skin. With that, Han Shuo was truly at ease.
“Why are you saving her?” Andrina seemed puzzled. She creased her brows and asked, “This woman has been vicious and abusive towards you with her words. Based on my understanding of you, it was already a miracle that you did not take avail of the opportunity to kill her. Why would you be willing to save her?”
“To me right now, she is more useful alive than not. Because if she’s dead, not only would I have to waste a lot of words to explain what I saw inside the G.o.dswamp Pharmacy to Andre, but he would also doubt how I discovered the situation in there. But if she lives, all that will be easily solved. If she wasn’t of any use to me, I wouldn’t have batted an eye!” Han Shuo explained.
“You are indeed a bad person!” Andrina giggled and said while pointing at Han Shuo.
“Good people die young,” Han Shuo casually replied while rus.h.i.+ng to the Sainte Residence.
“Identify yourselves!” the divine guards outside the Sainte Residence were alarmed when they saw that Han Shuo was rapidly approaching in the dead of night.
“I’m Bryan of the Celestial Pearl Pharmacy. I’m looking for Lord Andre for an urgent matter!” Han Shuo hastily explained.
The divine guards had all heard of Han Shuo. They were most admiring of this young man who saved Carmelita’s life twice. As soon as they heard that Han Shuo had an urgent matter, one of the divine guards replied at once, “Come with me, I will lead you to Lord Andre!”
That divine guard could tell that the matter must be uncommon and pressing from the fact that it was in the middle of the night and that Han Shuo was carrying a dying person. He dared not to hold up Han Shuo.
“Poison… poison refinement…” Gu Li, after consuming a pill of detoxification, began to awaken. She started mumbling ambiguously while being carried to Andre.
Good! You are up just in time. We won’t need to waste too much time. Fantastic, thought Han Shuo.