Chapter 30: The Next Link in AdaiEr

In the glow of the campfire, the doctor said calmly.

"Your complexion is pale, your gaze vacant; you may not realize it, but you look far worse now than you did this morning."

"Ah, is that so?"

With a soft sigh, AdaiEr touched her cheek, finding no reason to argue.

"Your description is so vague that I can't give advice; please describe your current feelings in more detail."

Listening to the doctor's mildly reproachful words, she stared at the bread in her hand and pursed her slightly dry lips.

"Actually, I feel my condition... really isn't great."

"For example? Limbs, organs, head, even spirit—what problems have arisen?"

Under the doctor's gradual guidance, AdaiEr thought for a moment.

"I feel my limbs are weak, there's a dull ache inside, occasional dizziness, and a whole-body chill."

Cold?

Ji Ming discreetly wiped the fine sweat from his forehead.

No wonder he's idling in this hot spot; it's actually for warmth, huh?

Since the exchange has been agreed upon, AdaiEr's thoughts and speech gradually returned.

"Moreover, I feel my mood is especially low; nothing I do has vigor, and even trying to think is sluggish."

"Is that so?"

Ji Ming pinched his chin, stared at the leaping flames, and thought.

"That means, although the curse has been lifted, the bizarre torments and layered injuries have not healed yet..."

Having just recovered from a serious illness, her fragile immunity is still rebuilding; even a modestly strong pathogen could break her defenses again.

If this were reality, such a condition would require gradual dietary therapy with various Chinese herbs and supplements.

But this is a magical world; some things might be simpler.

While pondering, Ji Ming pulled a bottle of Fourth Generation Rejuvenation Liquid from his coat.

Yesterday he had a sudden whim, thinking the liquid became more fragrant the longer it simmered; could its true use actually be ingestion?

After giving a capful to the big black rat, he found it indeed worked that way, even healing a few moments faster than topical use.

However, this method is limited to a sufficiently pure Fourth Generation; even the Third Generation might cause discomfort to the patient.

And if it were the original First Generation...

"Ugh aaaa, Brother Mouse Kid hold on!!!"

Ji Ming forced more than half a bottle of clear water down the rat, flushing its stomach eight times before pulling it back from the brink of death.

Dammit, wasn't it just a few bowls of rice? You torture a tiny creature like this, huh?

The drenched mouse lay miserably on the table, its bean-sized eyes dim and lifeless.

Ji Ming instantly felt overwhelming shame.

"Enough, this household can't do without you; whatever I eat, you eat!"

Having said that, he gathered the leftovers from the night and personally cooked a bowl of swill for Mouse Kid.

"This is... Troop Pot, Mouse Kid; in another world, over fifty million people love it."

The mouse, half‑believing, forced itself to perk up, turned its head to sniff, and finally began to cry.

Even though it doesn't look good, it's at least a bowl of rice!

Reflecting on his sincere friendship with the mouse, Ji Ming handed the potion bottle to AdaiEr.

"This is my latest orally‑administered Rejuvenation Liquid; it should help restore your bodily functions."

The red liquid glimmered even more crystal‑clear in the firelight, and AdaiEr hesitantly took the bottle.

She didn't drink it outright; wary in this foreign land, she first unscrewed the cap to sniff.

The rich aroma instantly pierced her nostrils; without even drinking, her previously wan appetite surged immediately.

Already highly sensitive to smells, AdaiEr couldn't help licking her lips.

"So fragrant, just smelling it…"

Fortunately, reason stayed dominant; she trembled her fingertips and finally resealed the cap.

"Such a good medicine, I... can't afford it..."

"No problem; although this medicine is a great tonic, I'm not certain of its exact effects yet. Even if I treat you to it, okay?"

AdaiEr turned her head to glance at the doctor beside her, felt a sting from his gentle gaze, and quickly looked away.

"Then I'll give it a try."

"Go ahead."

Lifting the bottle, AdaiEr had only intended to sip.

But once the liquid touched her tongue, how much to drink was no longer up to her.

By the time she realized, the crystal bottle in her hand was already empty.

She smacked her lips, and in a daze even felt it was a bit insufficient.

"Ah ah, it should be savored slowly..."

Suppressing the urge to lick the bottle's rim, she closed it with a look of regret.

Ji Ming, who had never tasted the Fourth Generation himself, saw her odd reaction and quickly asked.

"How is it?"

The young girl merely stared at the bottle, murmuring to herself.

"Delicious, really delicious..."

"Do I even need you to say that?"

Even if I sold it to Goblin Lei Nuo, I'd dare to start bargaining at fifty silver coins for such a good medicine—how could it possibly taste bad!

Ji Ming complained loudly in his heart, but he barely managed to keep a straight face.

"I just wanted to ask you, how do you feel after taking the potion?"

"I..."

AdaiEr only then came to from her intoxication.

She sensed her body and felt as if there was a ball of fire in her stomach.

But it wasn't a raging wildfire that seemed to burn everything; it was like a warm fire of early spring thaw.

It gradually flowed into her limbs and bones; pain, despondency, and almost all negative effects were diminishing.

Even saying that new vitality was surging within her body, replacing the previous lethargy with endless energy.

If she were the protagonist of a novel, her pores would probably be exhaling happily, and she'd start humming contentedly.

But AdaiEr still kept her composure; her tone just carried a hint of excitement.

"I feel much better in every way!"

Seeing the little girl's eyes finally glimmer with light and vitality, Ji Ming nodded in satisfaction.

"Then that's good."

Because the system also finally released the next stage of the quest at this moment.

【Side Quest: Curse Suppression】

【Quest Requirement: When AdaiEr's bloodline curse activates again next month, intervene to maximally suppress the strange and curse effects on her】

【Quest Reward: Based on suppression effectiveness, maximum is experience +1000, attribute points ×50】

"So generous?"

Ji Ming was a bit dazed, after all the past two days the system's commissioned quest rewards have been rather stingy.

From Boris, covered head to toe in wounds, to various victims of heaven-defying curses, yesterday he busied himself all day, and his experience only rose from twenty to ninety, still needing up to thirty points to reach level four.

Not even leveling up in a day—this is too slow, right?

But now, a random quest can directly give a thousand experience, and even throw in fifty attribute points.

Most importantly, it only requires suppression, not eradication.

In other words, we can harvest this batch of leeks every month.

In Ji Ming's gaze toward AdaiEr, a hint of eagerness instantly appeared.