Chapter 3705

At the moment the dragon-patterned copper token was taken out, the four scholars, including Rachel Getty, were collectively stunned.

This dragon-patterned copper token is itself a relic passed down from the Ming dynasty, polished to a mirror-like sheen, and on its front and side are secret inscriptions used internally by the Anti-Qing Society, these inscriptions being like Braille, each with its own unique mark, all Tiger-Battalion soldiers knowing how to distinguish these marks, only they able to tell which governor's office this token belongs to and their own rank within it.

As one of the heaviest-weight tokens within the Anti-Qing Society, most scholars only know of its existence but not its appearance, no one expecting they would actually get to see this legendary top-tier proof of identity with their own eyes.

Rachel Getty also wore a face of utter disbelief.

She never expected that merely borrowing Ye Chen's influence would earn her such a heavy gift from the Left Army Governor's Office, far exceeding expectations by countless times.

While Rachel was still in shock, Cheng Yan Ni reminded her on the spot: "Miss Getty, hurry and take the dragon-patterned copper token; this token is of great significance, no need for me to elaborate, this token and your identity have already been reported to the Five Armies Governor's Office, from now on carrying it will allow you unhindered passage worldwide without needing to report to anyone."

Rachel came to her senses, overjoyed, raising both hands above her head carefully to receive the dragon-patterned copper token.

The warm ancient copper felt smooth and slick in hand; to the unknowing, it might seem merely a trinket handle, but they would not know its great significance to a scholar.

At this moment, Cheng Yan Ni smiled and produced a Citibank bank card, handing it to Rachel and saying: "This is five million US dollars personally awarded by the Grand Governor; of course, for Miss Getty, five million US dollars is trivial, but it represents the Grand Governor's intention and affirmation of Miss Getty."

Rachel was overjoyed; money meant little to her, but this came from the Grand Governor, signifying great importance, proving the Grand Governor indeed now values her greatly.

Thus, she respectfully accepted the card, overjoyed.

Finally, Cheng Yan Ni produced a pill and said to her: "Since Miss Getty already has the dragon-patterned copper token and can travel freely worldwide, naturally she also needs a longer-lasting antidote; this pill has a six-month efficacy, take it now, and within one hundred eighty days the toxin will not flare up, you will no longer be bound by the antidote, as long as you have no violations of Anti-Qing Society regulations within these one hundred eighty days, I will give you the next antidote in one hundred seventy days."

Upon Cheng Yan Ni saying this, the four stared at the pill with eyes blazing hot.

As scholars, from the time they could not even remember, they were forcibly fed poison; in their ignorance, each antidote was secretly administered by family; when they gained basic judgment, family then revealed all this to them; from that point on, the internal poison shackles shifted from unwitting burden to consciously borne, until death.

The antidote must be taken weekly, occasionally one or two reserve antidotes given in advance, but this weekly lifeline operation still constantly imposes strong oppression and urgency on them.

Now, because Rachel achieved merit and obtained the dragon-patterned copper token, this cycle can be extended from seven days to one hundred eighty days all at once; this feeling, the other three merely hearing it, feel as if they have utterly sighed in relief.

They dare not imagine how happy it would be to take such a pill.

Rachel at this moment is already tear-streaked.

The dragon-patterned copper token represents physical freedom;

money represents Wu Yongzhen's commendation;

and this six-month efficacy antidote represents spiritual freedom.

Spiritual freedom is the rarest.

It is a fated liberation.

Although this efficacy lasts only one hundred eighty days, it is enough to make her weep with joy.

Rachel, with trembling hands, took the black pill from Cheng Yan Ni's hand; at the moment of receipt, her tears had already burst forth, unconsciously dripping patter-patter onto the ground.

The other three girls stared spellbound, envy already overflowing in expression.

Cheng Yan Ni then very solemnly said to Rachel: "Miss Getty, by regulation, you must take this pill in my presence before I can return to report to the Grand Governor."

One hundred eighty days, long or short, but it indeed allows a person to accomplish many things.

Therefore, issuing such a pill, the Anti-Qing Society's greatest fear is its clandestine flow to others.

They fear someone not taking the antidote, saving it up, concentrating it for certain people, letting them bear a mission to do things highly detrimental to the Anti-Qing Society.

This is not their groundless worry, but past experience and lessons.

For those oppressed generation after generation as death warriors, they would rather sacrifice hundreds to send out one person, letting him carry hundreds of antidotes to achieve true meaningful freedom.

One person seven days, hundreds of people, that is thousands of days.

That is years, even over a decade.

Such a length of time might not be enough for them to seek vengeance against the Anti-Qing Society.

But!

Such a length of time is enough for them to breed and multiply in places the Anti-Qing Society cannot find.

These people bear the opportunity given by hundreds of clansmen with their lives; when they reproduce the next generation, they will naturally pass down this bone-deep hatred.

To this day, some missing death warriors' descendants have escaped poison control; after burying the first-generation escapees, they could have hidden their names forever, undetected by the Society, but their DNA bears the seed of vengeance, generation after generation, forward without cease, moths to flame, solely to eradicate the Anti-Qing Society.

Even if they are merely ants shaking a tree, knowing it cannot be done yet cannot not do it.

These people were once the Anti-Qing Society's greatest hidden threat worldwide.

To exterminate these sparks, the Anti-Qing Society has for over a hundred years still been outside searching and hunting.

They are like Prince Yan Zhu Di's secret troops searching for Zhu Yunwen, undying and relentless.

Precisely because of these experiences, the Anti-Qing Society's later control of antidotes reached a perverse strictness.

Taking medicine must be supervised by the next level up; no one may privately hoard medicine; discoverers, extermination of the clan!

All death warriors and embroidered uniform guards on external missions must undergo absolutely meticulous inspection; each person's carried antidote quantity must not exceed mission needs; one extra pill conjured from nowhere, extermination of the clan!

Such a one-hundred-eighty-day antidote is even more so.

Those qualified to carry out medicine-bestowing missions are at least assistant clerks.

Moreover, if an assistant clerk dares to hoard pills, or if supervision is lax or intentional negligence, likewise extermination of the clan!

On Cheng Yan Ni's left chest is a lotus-shaped breast pin; the front of the pin has a pinhole camera, all footage monitored in real time by the Left Army Governor's Office, the entire process ensuring no omission.

The Anti-Qing Society's emphasis on antidotes is far stricter than college entrance exam papers!

Rachel also knows this is of great importance; at this moment she dares not delay, immediately holding the pill to her chest, looking at Cheng Yan Ni, kneeling with both knees on the ground, extremely respectful, saying: "I, your subordinate, kowtow in thanks for the Hero Lord's grace, kowtow in thanks for the Grand Governor's grace! Please, Assistant Clerk my lord, rest assured, I will take it immediately!"

This time, Cheng Yan Ni did not stop Rachel from kneeling.

Because she knows Rachel kneels not to her, but to the Hero Lord and the Grand Governor.

After Rachel knelt, raised her head and took the pill, she watched it enter the mouth, dissolve, and the camera clearly captured the whole process; only then did she feel relieved, saying to Rachel: "Miss Getty, my mission is complete, I will take my leave first; see you again in one hundred seventy days."