"That liquor was just a pretext."

Xiahou Ming calmly said, "What really poisoned you was the [Suppressing Poison Mist] gaseous particles that my pores actively released. They are colorless and odorless, and even poison-type awakened individuals would find it difficult to detect that they have inhaled the toxins. They can silently suppress the crystal core, making it impossible to use superpowers."

"And it can cause organisms to become stiff. In the past, my strength was too weak, and I couldn't control this ability to release gaseous toxins through my pores. I could only use it in a closed environment, otherwise I would accidentally hurt friendly forces. But now it's different."

"My strength has long since transformed. I can actively control the gaseous toxin particles around me, making them float anywhere within a five-meter diameter around my body. Anyone who steps into them will be poisoned."

"and……"

"I can remotely control the poisoning process once it is triggered."

The quack doctor exclaimed in disbelief, "Impossible! I also have poison-based abilities, and my true strength is no less than that of an ordinary level seven awakened one. My poison resistance is extremely high. Even if I couldn't detect it... I shouldn't have been poisoned so quickly."

"well……"

Xiahou Ming sighed and said, "Because I was wary of your poison-type abilities and unsure of your poison resistance, I poisoned you every time you came to chat with me on the balcony."

“My [Suppressive Toxin] is different from the zombie suppressant. This toxin is not only effective against all living things... but just one hundred grams of it is enough to poison most level seven awakened individuals, um~ except for the guild leader.”

“And I made you inhale more than 100 grams every day. You came to see me 50 times in three months, inhaling a total of ten times that amount, or 5 kilograms of toxins. If this still doesn’t kill you, then I, Xiahou Ming, might as well quit the business.”

"and……"

"I was worried that your [Death Resistance] would negate the poison effect, so I waited until Commander Fang and the regimental commander used your passive skill before I triggered the poison status on you. Actually, I didn't want to either."

"You...you..."

The quack doctor was shocked.

But more than anything, he felt admiration, and said bitterly, "I thought you really didn't care about leaving, and didn't care about my defection from the Dawn Society. A genius like you... why confine yourself here?"

How so?

"Everyone's experiences are different, and so are their thoughts."

Xiahou Ming's eyes lit up with reminiscence. "I used to follow a man named Bai Feng. I was forced to do a lot of bad things under pressure. I used to think of myself as a good person, but later I kept researching toxins and using all sorts of extreme methods."

"By rapidly expanding the [Death Legion], I discovered that I actually enjoy doing these seemingly cruel things. I love seeing the suffering of zombies, humans, and mutated creatures after being poisoned by me."

"In some ways..."

“We are the same kind of people, but I just love the process of exploring the unknown.”

The quack doctor was puzzled: "Then why aren't you coming with me?"

"Sigh, don't you understand?"

Xiahou Ming sighed softly: "Although you, the Strange Doctor, are a genius, compared to the president, he can inspire more of my desire to explore the unknown. If I follow you... that would be irresponsible to myself."

"and……"

“There is actually a difference between you and me. You are all alone, while I at least have a few friends around me, although not many... but I am not so easy to sever this relationship.”

"Including the guild leader, if it weren't for him dealing with the [Raiders], I wouldn't have had the chance to poison Bai Feng. I'm grateful to him, so for that reason, I can't go with you, understand?"

He spoke in a very calm tone.

However, in reality, the second factor accounts for a relatively small percentage.

Because his hands were stained with blood, and because their personalities didn't match, as the vice-commander of the [Death Legion], he was only truly friends with Zhao Wu, and a few assistants who helped him.

Ye Tianfan and Yang Erlang belong to another faction.

"Understood."

The charlatan doctor looked at him and asked, "One last question: Did you poison me on Zhang Hao's orders?"

Xiahou Ming shook his head: "Yes and no."

"The chairman had actually considered that you might defect to the Dawn Society after he left. Commander Fang was just testing you. I am the key to stopping you. But the chairman also told me the truth."

“He was worried about our relationship and didn’t want to poison me, so he told me to think it over myself, because besides me… the chairman still had a trump card to prevent you from leaving, but in the end I still chose to poison you.”

"What? You're not angry, are you?"

The eccentric doctor said calmly, "Of course not. People like us, even if we have friends, we won't hesitate to take action. I'll continue to talk to you afterwards. If I were to kill you... don't blame me."

"Of course not, we're all friends, and I understand the principle of reciprocity. But whether you can actually do it is another matter, since the president should be back soon," Xiahou Ming said.

"It doesn't matter."

The quack doctor shook his head dismissively.

After their chat ended, Fang Ping ordered his men to lock up the quack doctor.

Ye Tianfan, Wang Yan, and the others nodded to Xiahou Ming, then left without exchanging any further words, supporting each other.

Xiahou Ming watched their backs as they walked away together.

A man stood there, shaking his head and smiling faintly: "As expected, wherever there are people, there will be factions. It's a pity that Commander Zhao Wu didn't come back... The days that the eccentric doctor is imprisoned are probably going to be very boring."

"Let's go have a 'heart-to-heart' talk with the prisoners."

...

...

the next day.

Qiongzhou Island.

South District, Dawn Society stronghold.

A large number of manta rays landed, and Zhang Hao and his group rested here temporarily.

"Chairman, we have results from headquarters. The quack doctor did indeed attempt to defect the day before, but he was severely injured by Commander-in-Chief Fang and his allies. He was eventually subdued by Deputy Regiment Commander Xiahou Ming through a subtle poisoning," Meng Wu reported truthfully.

"Really? Xiahou Ming really went that far? Aren't they friends?" Zhang Hao was slightly surprised.

Zhao Wu said with a resentful look, "What's wrong with my friend? When all the prisoners of the Death Squad were tortured to death, he still couldn't help but try to poison me, the commander of the regiment, for experiments. This guy is simply a pervert."

"So powerful? Then why didn't you make a move? Isn't your spatial ability a perfect counter to him?" Zhang Hao asked, puzzled.

"Of course I wanted to, I really wanted to kill him with the Space Blade, but considering that he is our Dawn Society's only chief poison master, I let him go... but this guy is really annoying."

Zhao Wu complained, "When there were no prisoners to experiment on, they kept pestering me to test the poison. I had no choice but to go out to those villages and towns to find some zombies to use instead. Guild leader...aren't I the head of the guild?"

"Why do I have to run errands for the deputy commander? I'm not having it!"