It's been three days.
The team trekked arduously through the rolling mountains and forests.
The old woodcutter's path was fairly reliable, avoiding steep cliffs and deep ravines, but the mountain path was rugged and long, and every step was physically demanding.
To make matters worse, water sources are hard to find.
The stream we had passed earlier had long since dried up, and the few puddles of water that occasionally seeped out from the cracks in the rocks were pitifully small.
Jiang Chan has plenty of mineral water in her space, but she can't openly take it out.
During breaks, she would pretend to go to the place where people were being carried to "fetch water," and when she returned, she would fill several extra water bags with clear, sweet "spring water" and distribute it to everyone.
"Miss Jiang, this water... is too good..." The old woodcutter held the water bag, took a careful sip, and was incredulous!
The others drank it, and their eyes widened in awe.
"This is truly a divine spring!"
"It makes me feel so comfortable all over!"
"Thank you, Immortal... Miss Jiang, for bestowing water upon me!"
Everyone was filled with gratitude once again, and they almost wanted to kowtow to Jiang Chan again.
Jiang Chan said expressionlessly, "Drink sparingly, there's not much water in the mountains."
Chen Yan silently took the water pouch, looked at the pure, unblemished water inside, then glanced at Jiang Chan's deflated bundle, his Adam's apple bobbed, and finally he only whispered, "Thank you."
The awe and confusion in his eyes deepened.
This water... could not possibly have been taken fresh from the mountains. He felt more and more that the mystery surrounding Jiang Chan was unfathomable.
The mountains and forests are not only short of water, but also teeming with annoying insects.
"Ah! What bit me!" a woman screamed and jumped up, flailing her arms. A fat leech fell to the ground, wriggling.
"Pah! These ants really hurt when they bite!"
Watch your step! There's a centipede!
Exclamations and clapping sounds occasionally rang out from within the group.
Hidden within the damp, rotting pile of fallen leaves are countless tiny creatures.
Jiang Chan and Xiao Tao were alright; they had been sprayed with insect repellent, so they weren't too affected.
Others suffered, their bodies covered in red, swollen welts from the bites, enduring unbearable pain.
In the afternoon, the group rested in a relatively open clearing in the woods where the sun could shine in.
Zhou sat down against a big tree, rubbing her aching legs.
"Master's wife, have some water." Chen Yan handed her the water pouch.
Zhou took it and just took a sip.
Sudden!
At the base of the large tree she was leaning against, a pile of seemingly ordinary dead leaves suddenly burst open.
A slender black shadow with brightly colored ring patterns shot out like lightning.
"Ah!" Zhou felt a sharp pain in her calf.
Looking down—
A venomous snake, about the length of a chopstick, with a triangular head and bright colors, was biting her calf tightly, its body still writhing.
"Master's wife!" Chen Yan roared, his eyes wide with rage. He reacted swiftly, grabbing the snake's body and slamming it to the ground!
With a stomp, the snake's head instantly turned to shreds!
But it was too late.
A purplish-black swelling quickly appeared at the bite wound on Zhou's calf. The intense pain made her face turn pale instantly, and cold sweat poured down her back.
"A poisonous snake!" the old woodcutter cried out. "It's a pit viper! It's highly venomous!"
The crowd erupted in chaos, retreating in terror.
Chen Yan didn't care about anything else. He pulled up Zhou's trouser leg and saw the rapidly spreading purplish-black color and the swollen, shiny wound. His heart sank to the bottom instantly!
"Don't move!" Jiang Chan shouted and rushed over.
She quickly pulled out a porcelain bottle from her "bag"—the elixir from her previous plague mission!
He poured out a glistening pill and stuffed it into Zhou's mouth, saying, "Swallow it quickly!"
Zhou groaned in pain as she swallowed the pill with difficulty.
Jiang Chan then took out disinfectant alcohol and gauze, quickly cleaned the wound, and squeezed out the toxic blood.
Everyone watched with bated breath, filled with anticipation. The fairy's elixir would surely cure the poison!
However--
One minute passed...
Two minutes passed...
Instead of fading, the purplish-black color on Zhou's leg spread even faster, like ink dripping into clear water. The wound swelled up like a shiny purple steamed bun. Zhou's painful groans turned into suppressed screams, and her consciousness began to blur.
Chen Yan stared intently at the poisoned wound on his master's wife's leg, then glanced at the ineffective pills in Jiang Chan's hand. His eyes shifted from hope to immense panic and despair.
He grabbed Jiang Chan's arm suddenly, his voice trembling uncontrollably, "Miss Jiang! The medicine...the medicine isn't working!"
Jiang Chan's face was extremely pale. The plague elixir was not a panacea and could not cure this snake venom!
The old woodcutter shook his head in despair, “It’s over! The poison from the branding iron is too potent. Half an hour, at most half an hour… Who could have predicted we’d encounter this thing! Even a celestial being with divine abilities couldn’t defend against it… What are we going to do?”
Just then!
【bite!】
That cold, urgent electronic voice, like a death warrant, exploded once again deep in Jiang Chan's mind!
[Key information detected: A divinely ordained immortal! Mission loading...]
[Identity Loading: Substitute Body "Guihai"]
[Task Description: Task 1: Heavenly Secret Virus - Successfully graft and reverse-contaminate the core deduction array with fragments of false prophetic information, targeting the Law Enforcement Elder 'Li Wufeng'; Task 2: Fear Spreader - Leak the contaminated fragments of key terrifying information to at least two high-ranking members (elders) of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion, inciting suspicion]
[Provides items: Perception Amplification; Information Transfer; Consciousness Fragment Projection]
[Quest Reward: 100 Antidote Pills]
Mission Failed: Soul Vanished!
[Accept the mission: Yes/No?]
Jiang Chan watched as the purplish-black discoloration rapidly spread across Zhou Shi's leg, listening to her painful groans and Chen Yan's desperate growls...
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