CHAPTER 2035: CHAPTER 2034: ACHUN’S KISS

Bai Ruozhu found it somewhat ironic. If they were so guarded against her, why did they seek her out? Was it because they truly had no other options?

Unexpectedly, Tong Zhengye’s voice rang out, "Going in would only add to the chaos. If you get poisoned, it will trouble Ruozhu to save you. Just wait outside."

After speaking, he looked at Bai Ruozhu, "Take a signal ball. If there’s any danger or discomfort, throw it out. Even if you don’t, the signal ball will flash a warning, and I’ll send someone in to rescue you."

Bai Ruozhu glanced at him; perhaps she underestimated his tact.

"Master, I’ll accompany you inside," Jianqi stood in front, looking worried.

Bai Ruozhu shook her head, "You wait here for me. If something happens, I’ll call you."

She was still uncertain about the situation inside. If the poison was significant, she could hide in Space first and then try to detoxify herself. But if Jianqi followed her in, she might not have the ability to care for him as well.

Jianqi looked dissatisfied, but seeing Bai Ruozhu’s resolve, he could only step aside.

Bai Ruozhu took the signal ball from Tong Zhengye, inspected it, and found phosphate, some gunpowder, and what seemed to be simple mechanical principles inside.

She increasingly felt that Tong Zhengye was not simple; even the signal balls he used were so exquisite. If there weren’t many talented people around him, it must mean he had extraordinary skills himself.

She didn’t believe a mere merchant family could have such prowess. She felt even more curious about Tong Zhengye.

She nodded to the group, then carried a medicine box into the next cave.

Once she reached a spot where no one could see, she moved the Medical Box into Space with a thought; carrying it was too inconvenient for her to react swiftly in unpredictable situations.

She cautiously moved forward. Although Tong Zhengye mentioned that the greatest threat here was the Poisonous fog, she dared not relax. What if there were more traps?

Instantly, images of her past treasure hunts with Achun flashed across her mind. There had even been a traitor back then. But now, she was facing such peril alone.

She wondered what Achun was doing far away. Had his wounds healed completely?

Suddenly, a shiver ran through her. This was no time to get distracted!

She continued moving forward, each step taken with utmost caution, while hyper-realistic images appeared before her eyes.

"Ruozhu, I’m here!" Jiang Yichun appeared before her with a swift shadow move, wrapping her slender waist with his arm.

Bai Ruozhu was startled, "Achun! Why did you rush in here? It’s full of Poisonous fog!"

"How could I not stay by your side? Don’t worry, you wouldn’t let me get poisoned, would you?" He slightly arched his lips, his eyes so tender it could melt, gazing deeply at her as if engraving her into his memory.

He bowed his head for a kiss, capturing her red lips, gently sucking—infusing all those days of longing into that passionate kiss.

After a long while, Bai Ruozhu managed to speak. Her heart skipped a beat. She pushed him, saying, "This is no place for a conversation. We must be cautious."

"I miss you," Jiang Yichun insisted, not allowing her to continue speaking, as he held her tightly, intending to kiss her again.

"You..." Bai Ruozhu suddenly struck, hitting Jiang Yichun hard on the chest.

Jiang Yichun let out a muffled groan, clutching his chest with disbelief, "Ruozhu, why, how could you...?"

The pain in his eyes made Bai Ruozhu’s heart tighten abruptly; she nearly doubted her own judgment. But the next instant, she shut her eyes, kicking Jiang Yichun fiercely.

"Get lost! You’re not worthy to impersonate him!"

In an instant, Jiang Yichun vanished into thin air, and the surroundings returned to silence. She looked around, realizing she still stood in her original spot, and the Achun she had seen was nothing but an illusion!

It seemed Tong Zhengye’s information was incorrect. This place not only had fatal Poisonous fog but also hallucinogenic poison.

Most likely, because the majority of those poisoned here died, and those who survived took over a month to detox, their memories were eroded by the poison and they forgot they had been hallucinated.

She wondered what would happen if she became absorbed in the illusions, whether she’d be led into traps and meet an untimely death or fall into a coma, never to wake again.

But the illusion just now felt so real. If she hadn’t recently read Achun’s letter, knowing they were approaching Capital City and couldn’t possibly appear here suddenly, plus with her firm will, she might not have discerned it was an illusion. Otherwise, she would have truly fallen for it.

Yet her heart felt sour. She really missed Achun—his warm embrace, his gentle gaze, his passionate and dominant kisses...

She shook her head violently. If she kept thinking like this, she would be controlled by the hallucinogenic poison again.

She swiftly popped a green pill into her mouth, temporarily suppressing the poison.

If it was just like this, Tong Zhengye probably would not have sought her out, would he?

She continued forward, her steps even more careful. As expected, her expression shifted quickly.

There was more than one type of Poisonous fog here!

Due to the dim light, it was hard to notice that a faint pink hue permeated the air, very faint. But Bai Ruozhu, with her excellent eyesight, noticed it after careful inspection—this was the Poisonous fog Tong Zhengye had mentioned.

But this fog was not single-poisoned; it had not only a hallucinogenic effect but also caused breathing difficulties and gradual heart failure.

If hallucinations occurred, one might not notice the breathing challenges, the slowing heartbeat, but even if noticed, escape chances were slim.

The builders of this place, back then, were overly cautious. It’s no wonder Tong Zhengye couldn’t make headway with this treasure.

Bai Ruozhu dared not delay, quickly hiding into Space, procuring several herbal medicines. She crushed and mixed them, disregarding the taste, ingesting them without hesitation.

She swiftly stored the used herbs back into the Medical Box, soon frowning as she noticed she was running low on one herb—barely enough to make an antidote for four people.

The toxicity subsided rapidly, prompting Bai Ruozhu to exhale a large sigh of relief, albeit with new doubts in her mind.

In the past, when she went treasure hunting with Achun, facing formidable challenges, they hadn’t encountered such cunning and varied poisons. Was there something special about this place?

Afraid of making those outside anxious, she refrained from further speculations, taking out the medicine box from Space.

For safety, she explored the surroundings once more and, thankfully, found no additional threats.

Then she retraced her steps, returning promptly to the group.

Jianqi and Yizi sighed in relief upon seeing her return safely. Tong Zhengye’s face lit up with surprise as Bai Ruozhu appeared untroubled by the Poisonous fog inside.

---

Today, I managed to take a photo with Tang Family’s Third Son at the venue. As someone who grew up reading his books and got into writing because of them, I, Mouka, felt like I was about to burst with excitement~ It’s just that the Third Son looks so fit, while I, unfortunately, appear a bit chubby... feeling a little disheartened...