"Mu Xue, here's my antidote!" Ning Yu reached out his hand to Mu Xue.

Without the slightest hesitation, Mu Xue immediately took out a small metal box from her backpack and handed it to him.

The metal box contained Ning Yu's specially made antidote, which was developed to target various mutated biological toxins and had always been effective in treating similar situations in the past.

However, this time, the antidote seemed to have lost its effectiveness. Although the spread of the blackness had slowed somewhat, it still showed no signs of stopping.

"Damn it!" Ning Yu cursed under his breath, a sense of unease he had never felt before rising in his heart.

"Captain, we must get out of here as soon as possible! If this continues, everyone will die here!" a team member said, pale-faced and terrified.

"Yes, Captain, we can't go any further!"

More and more team members began to echo this sentiment, their eyes filled with fear as they looked at the eerie plants around them.

"You..." Ning Yu wanted to say something, but it felt like a stone was stuck in his throat, preventing him from making a sound.

He struggled to his feet, looked around at his panicked teammates, and felt a mix of emotions.

He knew his teammates were right.

This new territory was far more dangerous than they had imagined. Further in, they would likely face unknown horrors and death.

But, should we just go back like this?

"No, no..." Ning Yu said silently to himself, a resolute light flashing in his eyes.

He recalled the expectant looks in their eyes before they set off, the hardships they had endured along the way, and the mission they carried...

He cannot back down!

"Shut up, all of you!" Ning Yu suddenly raised his head and roared with all his might, "Anyone who dares to say retreat again, don't blame me for being impolite!"

Although his voice was hoarse, it was full of undeniable authority, which immediately quieted down the somewhat restless team members.

Ning Yu took a deep breath, enduring his physical discomfort, and looked firmly ahead, saying each word slowly and deliberately, "We will continue forward!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he felt a dizzying sensation, his vision went black, and he fell straight down...

Mu Xue reacted swiftly, catching Ning Yu just as he was about to collapse. Seeing his pale face and the cold sweat beading on his forehead, her heart tightened, and a surge of anger burned within her. "What are you all standing there for! Quickly carry the captain into the tent!"

The team members, as if waking from a daze, hurriedly carried Ning Yu into the makeshift tent. The medic immediately stepped forward, but Mu Xue pushed him aside, saying, "I'll do it!"

With practiced ease, she unbuttoned Ning Yu's collar, revealing his muscular chest. Black lines, like living creatures, spread across his chest, a shocking sight. Mu Xue bit her lower lip, a flicker of heartache and resolve in her eyes. She pulled a delicate silver bottle from her bosom, poured out a scarlet pill, and without hesitation, placed it into Ning Yu's mouth.

"This is..." The military doctor beside him stared wide-eyed in surprise.

"This is my personally prepared antidote pill. It should not be used unless absolutely necessary!" Mu Xue explained coldly, her tone carrying an unquestionable authority.

After taking the pill, Ning Yu's complexion gradually regained some color, and his breathing became much more steady. Mu Xue breathed a sigh of relief, but she knew this was only temporary. The black lines were only temporarily suppressed, not completely eliminated.

"We must find an antidote as soon as possible!" Mu Xue thought to herself.

Outside the tent, the team members looked at each other, the atmosphere heavy and oppressive. They had witnessed Ning Yu's poisoning and felt the eeriness and danger of this new territory. Many were considering giving up, but the thought of Ning Yu's resolute gaze and unquestionable orders made them swallow back the words they were about to say.

"The captain will be alright, right?" a young team member asked in a low voice.

"Yes, the captain will be alright." The person next to him answered, but his tone was full of uncertainty.

At this moment, Ning Yu, still unconscious, was unaware of everything happening outside. His consciousness struggled in a state of chaos, and vaguely, he heard a voice whispering in his ear: "Do you want to live? Do you want to unravel the secrets of this land? Go and find it, the answer lies deep within this land..."

Ning Yu suddenly opened his eyes, a glint of shrewdness flashing within them. He knew he couldn't back down, nor could he sit idly by and wait for death. He had to find an antidote, and more importantly, he had to unveil the mysteries of this new territory.

"Mu Xue..." he called out in a hoarse voice.

"I'm here." Mu Xue immediately grasped his hand, her eyes filled with worry.

"Give me a map."