Chapter 703: 119. A team on the verge of collapse
The Snow Fox Species carriage kept turning without stopping. While Mia District was still in chaos due to Erwin’s attack, Fisher and his companions had already left the district aboard the carriage of the Snow Fox Species. Thanks to Fisher’s swift actions, they encountered no obstruction from the remaining forces of the Turand Family as they made their escape.
The antidote required by the Snow Fox Species was a decomposition agent, a potent miracle medicine extracted from plants. This medication, which eradicated a great plague a century ago, was later found by biologists to not only be effective against the Death Rot Disease but also against other serious illnesses such as sexually transmitted diseases and tuberculosis. Its widespread clinical application earned it the title “Universal Medicine” by the medical community of the Western Continent.
Although scholars of later generations still debated over the exact working mechanism of the decomposition agent, their research inevitably led them back to the miraculous natural creation extracted by the physician Torga, whose real name remained a mystery. It was a greenish grass-like plant grown in the deep mountains of Schwali. This once-unknown plant gained fame thanks to the emergent physician, and hence, it was named “Decomposition Source Root.”
The Decomposition Source Root did not have demanding growth conditions. Using Torga’s extraction method to obtain the Decomposition Liquid proved highly efficient. This rapid dissemination of the Decomposition Agent across the entire Western Continent enabled humans to conquer the Death Rot Disease, which once rampaged through the Western Continent, claiming millions of lives.
Fisher took several bottles from a small clinic in Mia when he fled with Valentina, bringing them to Snow Fox Clan Patriarch Dal, which they greatly appreciated.
“Drive!” ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ novel~fire~net
“That… how exactly do you use this medicine you speak of?”
“Inject or use absorption magic, the decomposition agent can’t be taken orally. Here are some syringes, and there’s a manual with instructions, although it seems to be designed for humans… I’ll carve a long-lasting magic for you later so that the sick can absorb the medicine.”
The white Snow Fox demi-human, sitting on the edge of the carriage and starry-eyed, looked attentively at Fisher as he explained. She, who had rarely seen the outside world, appeared naive and was easily mesmerized by the worldly-wise Nali Gentleman’s words. It was unclear whether it was Fisher’s Northern Realm creature affinity at play or his own charm.
“Then… thank you, Human sir.”
However, Fisher had no time to engage further with the daughter of the Snow Fox Tribe leader at this moment. No matter how interesting he found their appearance—resembling foxes more than humans—he felt somewhat disinterested, although somewhat research-oriented. Nonetheless, given the urgency of the situation, he had to bind her first with the Demi-human Girls Completion Manual to avoid missing the sequence of the Snow Mountain Clan.
[Available binding research count: 0/1]
[Available binding target: Juna, adult female Snow Fox Species]
Fisher silently chose to bind, and then closed his eyes to feel the growing familiar pain. Only Emhardt, who was quietly listening on his shoulder, noticed his slight discomfort and asked in a low voice,
“…Nothing, just a little tired, I need to rest for a while.”
Emhardt glanced at the atmosphere around them, discreetly withdrew back into the pocket on Fisher’s chest, and played the role of a silent book, still quietly listening to the quietness around him.
Inside the carriage, aside from the recently conversing Fisher and Juna, the atmosphere was eerily silent. The once grand “Turand Family’s Wutong Tree search party” now pitifully dwindled to just six people, including Fisher. Especially for Valentina, she still had so much information to digest. Although she appeared composed sitting in her wheelchair, her vacant and distant expression suggested she was utterly lost in her thoughts.
After all, she had only just come of age, and no matter how strong she acted, she was far from being invincible. She felt extremely isolated and helpless. The pressure of searching for the Wutong Tree was already immense. Now, with her family turning against her, intending to take her life for a sacrifice, she felt unprecedented despair and helplessness.
However, if she knew about the situation Fisher had quietly faced all along, she would perhaps feel deeply ashamed. First, there was the relentless pursuit by Elizabeth, then the Life Lord Erwin waiting in the shadows, and on top of that, the nearly unknown curse of the Wutong Tree, now adding the recently betrayed Turand Family…
As the carriage’s atmosphere became frighteningly still, the Snow Fox demi-human coachman’s gentle sigh brought the carriage to a slow halt. A second later, Clan Chief Dal hopped down from the front carriage, approached Valentina’s carriage and lifted the curtain to speak to Fisher and his companions inside,
“Miss Valentina, it’s getting close to nightfall, and no one is following us for the time being. Mia’s nights are particularly cold, and no one can travel through the snowstorm at deep night, so you can rest assured to set camp here and get some rest.”
The trance-like Valentina lifted her head and only then realized that the sky had already darkened. She nodded her head promptly to express her gratitude.