Chapter 7 The Battle Against "Poisonous" Chicken Soup

With the system backing him up, Yun Zhan felt much more confident. What chosen one? They're all just paper tigers in the face of this combination of a transmigrator and a system!

Let's get started! The assassination plan is in motion!

The preferred option is, of course, poison! It's covert, safe, and the success rate seems a tiny bit higher.

He immediately called out to the system in his mind: "Xiao Qi! Xiao Qi! Quick, open the points shop, I want to exchange for poison! Preferably the kind that is colorless and odorless, works quickly, and allows for a peaceful death!"

[Host Points Balance: 0. Unable to redeem any goods.] The system's electronic voice was cold and indifferent.

Yun Zhan was taken aback, then realized, "Right, we haven't even started yet, so where would the points come from?"

But who is Yun Zhan? A modern-day workplace slacker… no, a master of adaptability! His eyes darted around, and he immediately began to bargain: “Xiao Qi, isn’t that a bit unfair? Doesn’t the rule say that you get points for any assassination attempt? What about my previous attempts? Doesn’t the flying assassination count? Even though it failed, I still took action, right? And I’ve been thinking about how to kill him every day, doesn’t that mental work count as an action? All of that should count for points! Hurry up and settle my previous points, or I’m just giving up, let whoever wants to do this mission do it!”

He adopted a shameless attitude, as if he were a dead pig that wasn't afraid of boiling water.

[...] The system seemed shocked by his shamelessness, remaining silent for several seconds. [The host's previous actions... do not meet the criteria for a 'specific assassination attempt.' The lunge assassination was an accident, and the mental conception was merely wishful thinking.]

"I don't care! I've taken action! You have to give me the start-up capital! Otherwise, I can't get started! You're forcing the host to slack off!" Yun Zhan argued unreasonably.

[...Rules are being supplemented and explained... Given the host's diminished enthusiasm, 100 activation points are being advanced. Please take effective action as soon as possible, otherwise subsequent point rewards will be deducted.] The system's electronic voice sounded helpless, as if saying, "I guess I'm just unlucky."

"Haha! That's right!" Yun Zhan was overjoyed, his expression instantly changing. "Quick! Open the shop! I want to buy poison!"

100 points wasn't much; most items in the shop were grayed out with a string of zeros after the price. Yun Zhan searched for a long time before finally finding something he could afford in a corner of the "Medicines/Chemistry" category.

[Name: Colorless, Odorless, and Fast-Acting Terminator. Description: A highly effective compound preparation with an excellent taste after dissolving in liquid. After ingestion, it provides rapid relief within a short time… (details obscured). Required Points: 100.]

This is it! With such a powerful name, the effect must be amazing! Yun Zhan's eyes lit up.

Just then, one of his roommates pushed open the door to get something. Yun Zhan, feeling guilty, was startled, fearing his "assassination plan" would be discovered. Without bothering to carefully read the description, he frantically shouted in his mind, "Exchange! This is it! Hurry!"

[Exchange successful. Item has been delivered to your system space and can be retrieved at any time. Points balance: 0.]

A faint light flashed, and a small paper package appeared in Yun Zhan's hand, feeling slightly heavy.

"Phew..." Yun Zhan breathed a sigh of relief and quickly stuffed the paper package into his arms, his heart still pounding.

[Host, you...] The system seemed to want to say something.

"Shut up! I know what you're going to say! Be careful, right? I understand!" Yun Zhan interrupted it, smugly. "Don't worry, this plan is flawless!"

He clutched the "poison" and began pondering how to administer it. Should he put it directly in the water or food? No, Yan Linye ate with everyone else from the same pot, making it easy to accidentally injure him, and the targets would be too scattered. Ideally, he should be given special treatment separately!

The opportunity soon arrived. Yun Zhan had been eyeing the plump hen next door for a long time. He gritted his teeth and pawned his last piece of jade pendant, which still seemed to have some value, in exchange for the hen and some simple cooking utensils. He was heartbroken; that was all money! His funds for his future escape had shrunk again!

He carried the chicken to the simple communal kitchen in the charity home, claiming he wanted to thank Yan Linye for taking him in for so many days, and personally cooked soup for him. Everyone found his clumsy attempt at killing the chicken, almost getting chased by it, amusing and intriguing, and didn't suspect anything.

Yan Linye was greatly shocked to hear that Yun Zhan had actually traded his jade pendant for a chicken to make soup for him. He had seen that jade pendant before; it was of excellent quality and clearly Yun Zhan's cherished possession before his "downfall." He actually pawned it just to make soup for him? This sentiment was truly profound…

A warm feeling welled up in Yan Linye's heart. He looked at Yun Zhan, who was busy in the kitchen and covered in soot, and his gaze softened and deepened. This young man, though unconventional in his actions, had a sincere heart.

Yun Zhan had no idea that Yan Linye was overthinking things. He was busy stewing the chicken. When the chicken soup was almost done and the aroma was filling the air, he seized the opportunity when no one was around, quickly took out the small paper packet, poured all the white powder inside in, and stirred it evenly with a spoon.

"Hehe, Yan Linye, I'll make you drink my 'severance soup'!" Yun Zhan thought viciously to himself, but forced a harmless smile onto his face.

When Yun Zhan presented Yan Linye with a large bowl of fragrant chicken soup, Yan Linye's eyes were almost overflowing with emotion.

"Brother Yunzhan, this is...too much of a waste." Yan Linye's voice was gentler than usual.

"No need for money! Brother Yan is so good to me, what's a chicken!" Yun Zhan pushed the soup bowl in front of him, urging him with "sincere" eyes, "Drink it while it's hot! I've been stewing it for a long time!"

Yan Linye had no suspicions. He picked up the bowl, blew on it to cool it down, and took a bite.

Instantly, an indescribable delicious flavor exploded on his tongue! This chicken soup... it's so delicious! It's a hundred times more delicious than any soup he's ever had at a royal banquet! The broth is rich and thick, the chicken is tender and juicy, and the flavor is fresh and sweet, as if every drop contains boundless power.

He couldn't help but finish the whole bowl in one gulp. He felt a warm current spread from his stomach to his limbs and bones, and the fatigue of the past few days was swept away. He felt more energetic than ever before, and even his vision seemed to be clearer.

"Brother Yunzhan, your cooking skills are... amazing!" Yan Linye exclaimed sincerely, then ladled himself a bowl. "I have never tasted such delicious chicken soup before!"

Yun Zhan: "..."

He stared wide-eyed as Yan Linye drank bowl after bowl, his forehead slightly sweating, his face rosy, and his eyes bright—there was no sign of poisoning whatsoever.

Wait a minute! Is this "colorless, odorless, fast-acting terminator" expired? Or is Yan Linye's stomach made of titanium alloy?

"Brother Yan... how are you feeling? Is there anything wrong?" Yun Zhan swallowed and asked cautiously.

"Feeling unwell? No, not at all!" Yan Linye stretched his limbs, feeling full of energy. "I just feel completely refreshed and invigorated! Yun Zhan, did you add some kind of magical herb to this soup?"

Yun Zhan's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly called out to the system in his mind: "Xiao Qi! What's going on? Is this poison a counterfeit product? Why is he getting more and more energetic the more he drinks it?!"

The system was silent for two seconds, then replied in an extremely speechless electronic voice: "[...Host, what you exchanged for is not poison.]"

"What?!" Yun Zhan almost jumped up. "Impossible! I clearly redeemed 'Colorless, Odorless, Instant-Acting Terminator'!"

[...Name not fully displayed. The full name is 'Colorless, Odorless, Quick-Acting Terminator - Stew Seasoning (Strengthening and Health-Enhancing Type)'. This seasoning, produced by the system, is refined from the essence of rare ingredients from countless dimensions. After one pot of soup, the target will not only be free of all ailments, but their physique will also be strengthened at least tenfold, and their internal energy cultivation will also improve significantly. Congratulations, host, you have successfully aided the enemy.] The system was truly speechless; encountering such a stupid host was simply unlucky.

Yun Zhan was struck dumb, standing there as if by lightning.

Stewing...stewing soup seasoning? Strengthening the body? Boosting physical fitness tenfold?

He spent all his starting points, pawned his jade pendant, and spent most of the day working, only to deliver a super-tonifying soup to Yan Linye!

Looking at Yan Linye's radiant appearance, as if he had taken a super tonic, and then thinking about his own empty points and the pawned jade pendant, a surge of grief and indignation welled up in his heart.

Is this some kind of invincible halo from the Heavenly Dao's favorite son?! Even the system shop is ripping me off?!

"Yun Zhan, what's wrong? You look so pale?" Yan Linye noticed his expression and asked with concern.

Yun Zhan was on the verge of tears, waved his hand weakly, and said, "No...it's nothing...Brother Yan, are you full? If not, there's more...give me a bowl too..."

Now that things have come to this, we can't waste this chicken soup! It's a "high-end" product from the system, after all; we have to drink some to get our money's worth! We absolutely can't let this chosen one benefit from it all!

He picked up the chicken soup that Yan Linye had served him and took a big, vicious gulp.

Mmm...it smells so good!

But in my heart, I felt even more bitter.

Looking at the boy's complex expression as he drank soup and looked on the verge of tears, Yan Linye felt that the boy's thoughts were truly unpredictable. Sometimes he was carefree, sometimes considerate, and at this moment he showed a kind of inexplicable grievance and cuteness, which deepened Yan Linye's special interest and pity for him.