Chapter 519: Bewitching and Blood Drop

So?

What's next?

Rod remained outside, unmoved.

The coincidences in this adventuring commission were a bit too numerous.

Anyone with half a brain could tell it was rigged.

But why?

Was it because of Rod's joining? Or coincidence? Or did their adventuring party always operate like this?

Most likely not because of him joining.

Judging by the current track record, the Disguise Field had only been seen through by the elf Lady Kali.

The rest of the time, its effect was maxed out.

The current problem was figuring out exactly who the other party was.

Rod glanced at the plant inside the cave.

He then had the learned elf Young Lady Kali describe its appearance through the 【Far Voice Chain】.

Mainly because he was worried that if Sael'ythr lay in the miasma too long, something would go wrong.

【Lady Kali: 'Bewitching Grass,' a plant that grows in the depths of the Underdark. When stimulated, the miasma it releases has strong hallucinogenic and knockout effects. Dark elves like to use it for interrogation or assassination; they consider this plant a gift from the Spider Queen Lolth.】

Well then.

Dark elves.

Directly related to Coral Bay, and further related, to the issue of Sael'ythr's bloodline node.

Hmm. When was her identity exposed?

【Rod: Is it possible for it to grow on the surface?】

【Lady Kali: Natural growth is impossible, but with human intervention and magical cultivation, it can be done. Trouble?】

Lady Kali rarely expressed such concern directly.

Most of the time, it was a single 'What trouble have you gotten into now' to both jab him and indirectly show her worry.

Such a classic tsundere.

As for the current situation.

It was clearly the result of the 'Brooch Trade' incident from a couple days ago.

Look at that — two million Jin Along's worth of care and consideration, enough to melt even the aloof elf.

Facing the question, Rod did not hide anything and directly explained the current situation.

【Lady Kali: I'm coming over now.】

【Rod: Aren't you supposed to be researching the ritual to deal with the Infernal Passage?】

【Lady Kali: What do you take me for? This kind of ritual can't stop me.】

At this moment, the cold and proud elf Young Lady had no intention of letting a certain Forester know that after the 'Brooch Trade,' her mood had been excellent, her thoughts flowing unimpeded, she had broken through several difficult points in a row, and even the preliminary ritual structure was already complete — only testing remained.

Ten or so minutes later.

The elf Lady Kali smoothly rendezvoused with him.

Coincidentally, neither had even had time to greet the other.

Just in time to see one of the three unconscious people in the cave roll over, clutch their head, and sit up.

The utterly unremarkable rookie mage Harrison.

". Why is this Bewitching Grass so strong? I took the antidote in advance and it still hit me, damn it."

"."

He looked over the two unconscious women on the ground, then left the cave to look around outside.

After confirming no one was there, he quickly returned and took out tools for brewing magic potions: a mortar, pestle, crucible, and filter.

The materials were herbs, minerals, monster tissues, and some physical fragments of elements.

Among them was one item that looked especially familiar to Rod.

A red spherical jade, with a smear of blood drifting back and forth in its center.

"A physical Blood Drop of Lilith. In the treasure of that dragon's vault of yours, there are a few. It's rumored that the succubus ancestors stole blood-use techniques from the Vampire Queen Yulia, allowing their Blood Drops to forcibly enhance the effect of Charm magic," the elf Young Lady said.

"Is it useful for Tally?"

Although they were still in a cold war.

Still, with something like this, Rod's first thought was of her.

Lady Kali glanced at him coldly: "If you want her to directly charm you and turn the tables, you could try giving it to her. Unlike the Lilith bloodline of that Lady Wenona of Axe Beach, a physical Blood Drop is a one-time item — once used, it's gone."

Fair enough.

But—

He had previously discovered special aphrodisiac mushrooms in the mushroom-person Scarlett's burrow, and triggered the advancement of 【Charm Fluid】 to a higher-tier skill.

Maybe... this physical Blood Drop would be useful?

Immediately.

Rod took out a physical Blood Drop of Lilith from his spell pouch.

He actively excavated it.

【'Charm Fluid' senses special charm particles】

【Current progress: 2.7%↑】

Oh! It works!

The progress did not stop there, still slowly rising.

Inside the cave.

Harrison took out a test tube containing fresh blood that glowed with a faint fluorescence.

He fused it with a drop of Lilith's corporeal blood, then mixed it into a boiling crucible to refine.

Not long after.

The potion was successfully crafted.

He ladled it out, walked over beside Cecilia, and muttered with a face full of disgust: "Damn, smells like sulfur, stinks to death."

Rod frowned, about to make a move.

Lady Kali grabbed him and held him back.

"That isn't poison—it's a kind of latent charm spell. Its main effect is to make Cecilia fall under the charm of the owner of that drop of fluorescent blood. The potion's potency is low, its quality mediocre; it's the slow-accumulating chronic-poison type."

She had watched the entire potion-making process from start to finish, and now understood the potion thoroughly.

As for the owner of the fluorescent blood—

Because dark elves had long dwelled in the Underdark, their blood had somehow evolved a faint fluorescence.

True, other races had similar blood too, but it didn't matter—under the current circumstances, it could only be those people from Coral Bay.

"The enemy is hidden, we are in the open. Since we now clearly know their methods, we might as well endure and think of a countermeasure—far better than exposing them and having them switch to even more covert schemes."

"No."

Rod's face was cold, fury blazing in his eyes.

"I cannot allow a junior entrusted to me by a friend to fall into danger."

Saying so—

He had already dispelled his stealth art and strode toward the cave.

Rod made no attempt to mask his footsteps.

Harrison inside was startled awake, the hand holding the potion trembling.

He turned his head, saw it was 'Rodjef', and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Rodjef! You're alright! Perfect timing—I've brewed a healing potion for Cecilia and Aaliyah."

As he said this, his other hand slipped behind his back, secretly activating a magic ring hidden in his palm.

Rod's face was cold.

He didn't care about any of that—raising a hand, he made a grasping motion in empty air.

【Udian's Ice Blade Domain】 instantly condensed an ice spear in midair and shot it forth with a violent thrust.

The ice spear pierced straight through Harrison's shoulder, his face frozen in shock.

The barbs on the spear's shaft caught on his shoulder blade, pinning his entire body to the rock wall behind.

"Aaaaaaaaaaah!!!"

A heart-wrenching scream.

"Enjoy being a dark elf's lapdog?"

"No—what are you talking about—"

Rod stepped forward slowly, and his vise-like hand twisted Harrison's arm clean off.

Another wave of screaming.

Harrison began to beg for mercy, began to explain his actions.

It was nothing more than being blinded by money, unable to resist the dark elves' enchanting bodies.

It didn't matter.

The first rule of being a decent person is to apply double standards—your reasons are none of my concern.

Harrison cried until his face was covered in snot and tears.

The intense pain nearly froze his thoughts; he simply couldn't fathom why the weakling Rodjef had suddenly erupted with such overwhelming power.

Just as he couldn't fathom why, afterward, his own head would become a cannonball for the Grudge Cannon while he was still fully conscious.

He wouldn't die that easily.

(End of this chapter)