Blood, foul-smelling of plant decay, ceaselessly infused into Father John’s body.
He struggled desperately, but he was immobilized by the strong binding of three tentacles.
"Filth blood, don’t think you can desecrate the sacred blood," he shouted angrily all of a sudden.
His body hair surged, and the tough black hair pierced through his overcoat.
His strength also suddenly surged, and Liu Zheng almost couldn’t hold him down.
"Hey, use whatever skills you have quickly, or I’ll start treating you as a burden," Liu Zheng said, turning back to Xia Kai.
"Ah, yes, yes, I’m coming right away," Xia Kai hesitated for a moment, then quickly jogged over.
He took out a syringe from the system space and inserted it into Father John’s neck.
"Name: Muscle Relaxant"
"Effect: Reduces the opponent’s strength by 30% (up to a maximum of 20 points), duration inversely proportional to the opponent’s constitution."
"Note: You’ve confused the muscle relaxant with the truth serum again, haven’t you?
"Can it be taken out of the instance: Yes"
Father John strained vigorously, snapping the needle with his hard muscles.
However, the clear liquid still infused into his body.
Soon, the intensity of his struggles diminished.
After this last desperate effort, Father John gradually became languid and weak.
Liu Zheng withdrew the tentacles, and Father John spit out a mouthful of blood.
The blood he spit out landed on the ground and separated automatically, just like before.
One mouthful, two mouthfuls, three mouthfuls...
He continued to vomit like a drunkard who had consumed too much.
Only, unlike a drunkard who vomits food residue and gastric juice, he was vomiting his own and others’ blood.
As Father John spat out more and more blood, the symptoms of his Beastification Disease gradually lessened.
The black hair reverted to white, and the extended beast claws transformed back into human hands.
Finally, he stopped vomiting blood and simply collapsed backward.
Flora could no longer hold back and broke free from Anke’s embrace to run over.
Father John called out weakly, then fainted.
"This, this, this..."
Anke also ran over, trembling and unable to speak as he pointed at Father John.
"Don’t worry, he won’t die, he’s just lost too much blood. Just eat more pig’s blood to replenish," Liu Zheng glanced over and said.
"No, I mean, how was his Beastification Disease cured?" Anke asked in shock.
"It wasn’t cured, just alleviated I suppose."
If you really want to cure him, probably all the blood has to be vomited out.
Of course, that way the Beastification Disease might be cured, but the person would be gone too.
"This is already very impressive. Never before has someone who has already transformed been brought back. Those Hunters, they only know how to hunt, to burn them," Anke said excitedly.
"Mr. Liu Zheng, if only you had come earlier, so many people wouldn’t have had to die. Yate, Yate wouldn’t have been burned either," he said incoherently.
"Get real, I wasn’t even born forty years ago," Liu Zheng coldly snapped a tentacle at him.
"Besides, my blood even dislikes Beastification Disease, do you think it could be anything good?"
"You’re right, I was overthinking," Anke said, covering the spot where he was hit and sighed.
"Let’s go, back to the church," Liu Zheng said as he picked up Father John.
With Father John’s strength, he likely knows more than that young Hunter.
Flora responded energetically, holding her father’s hand in one hand, and clutching Liu Zheng’s cloak with the other, a happy smile on her face.
"Uh, boss, what should I do?"
Xia Kai cautiously asked.
"You? What is your task?"
"The main task is to survive for 48 hours, and there are three side tasks."
"The first is to collect three Divine Son’s umbilical cords."
"The second is to collect more than ten Holy Grails."
"The third is to hunt down a superior being."
Xia Kai stated candidly.
If it weren’t for the fact that only he could see the system panel, he would have shown it directly to Liu Zheng as a sign of good faith.
"Then your tasks conflict with mine."
After checking the City Hall’s list, Liu Zheng saw that it indeed also required the Divine Son’s umbilical cords.
"Ah? It’s not a main task, is it?"
Xia Kai asked fearfully.
"Have you lost your mind from fright? If our main tasks conflicted, I wouldn’t waste my words on you; I’d just chop you down, and that would be that."
"Oh, oh. No worries, no worries. It’s no big deal if I can’t complete the side tasks. With my ability, I never really thought I’d do the side tasks."
Xia Kai sighed in relief.
He was well aware of his limitations. Divine Son’s umbilical cords, hunting superior beings—it was clear these were impossible tasks.
All he needed to do was hang on for 48 hours and survive.
Of course, if he could last a bit longer to improve his rating, that would be even better.
"Speaking of which, what benefits are there in completing side tasks?"
After Xia Kai replied, he suddenly remembered that this was Liu Zheng’s first time in an instance, and felt a rush of mixed emotions.
Being crushed by a genius in real life was bad enough, but having to be dominated by a genius in the game as well made life utterly miserable.
Of course, no matter how much he envied or resented him, he still needed to cling to those who could help him.
"Completing side tasks can significantly improve your task rating and also add extra special exchange options at settlement. There are other benefits, but I’m not aware of them," Xia Kai honestly explained.
"I see. Did you have side tasks during your first instance?"
"No, there was only one main task—to escape from prison," Xia Kai replied.
Liu Zheng asked curiously.
"That’s a bit complicated. How about we walk and talk, boss?" Xia Kai tentatively asked. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ novelFirｅ.net
"Sure, just follow me. But let me be clear, if trouble comes, I won’t spend too much to save you. And if I catch you doing anything tricky, I won’t warn you; I’ll just finish you off," he said coldly.
"Understood, understood. Don’t worry, boss. I’m famously honest and upright, I definitely won’t cause any trouble," Xia Kai assured, thumping his chest.
"Honest and upright; how then were you chosen by Hell’s Game?"
Considering himself, Liu Zheng felt that the players selected by Hell’s Game must all be "sick" in some way, whether physically or mentally.
"I don’t know. I was looking at the new game rankings on Steam that day, and then a popup asked if I wanted to play something thrilling."
"And then you clicked yes?" Liu Zheng interjected.
"No, I thought it was some virus, and I was about to start the antivirus software, but then the mouse moved on its own and clicked yes for me," Xia Kai said, helplessly.
Great. That’s just like Hell’s Game, truly hellish.
"Let’s go. Pick up the priest and let’s talk while we walk."
He handed Father John over to Xia Kai.
Having underlings and not using them doesn’t make one a competent boss.
Plus, giving Xia Kai things to do made him feel more at ease.
Xia Kai indeed smiled broadly as he hoisted up Father John.
"I’m sorry, but you can’t just leave ."
However, they hadn’t gone far when a group of hunters dressed in white outfits blocked their way.