Chapter 96: The Curse Arrives Early

He proactively reached out his hand and helped the cute, delicate yet formidable young mage girl onto a nearby tree stump to sit.

Ji Ming opened his medicine box, pressed his palms together, and wore the customary sincere expression of a professional in service.

"AdaiEr, please don't be shy, I need to examine your wound."

"Hmm, I understand."

After all, she's a longtime colleague and old friend, so AdaiEr showed no hesitation.

As she gradually rolled up the hem of her white robe, Ji Ming finally saw the dire state of her thigh.

It wasn't far from what he expected: besides the wound torn by a demon bear's claw, the leg bore obvious bruises and impact marks that occurred at different times.

One can only say the apprentice warrior's physique is truly tough; after two heavy blows, she still maintains a normal appearance.

If she truly were a sixth‑level junior mage, she could already toss aside her staff and, leaning on her broken leg, have a heart‑to‑heart talk with Ms. Buluowa.

Of course, it might also be a direct reset, joining the Soul Spirit Throne and easing the chronic mental drain that Ge Ruìsēn constantly laments about his own weakness.

Precisely because of that, Ji Ming didn't act immediately but first carefully asked about the full history of her wound.

AdaiEr bit her lip and thought for a moment.

"I was hit by a demon pig… uh, during the chase I accidentally ran into a stone."

"At the time I thought it was nothing, but later the pain started."

Just wander.

Ji Ming nodded and directly opened her status panel.

Fortunately, although the debuff status bar was a chaotic mess, the first entry was the Bloodline Curse and the second was merely a thigh bone fracture.

"Good news, it seems the bone was cracked by impact, not too bad."

After soothing the still‑nervous AdaiEr, he took a bottle of Rejuvenation IV from the medicine box.

"Drink it to boost your body's recovery ability; I'll treat your wound, and you should be fine."

"Ah."

Watching the girl's gaze instantly drawn to the potion, Ji Ming suddenly felt…

Why does it feel like I'm a child doctor whose core skill is a lollipop?

Rejuvenation IV took effect quickly, and AdaiEr's previously pallid, pain‑tinged face instantly flushed with color.

Looking at the several wounds that required suturing, Ji Ming finally asked.

"The treatment might hurt a bit; should I knock you out?"

AdaiEr, still savoring the taste of the potion, froze for a moment and quickly shook her head.

"No, it's too risky now; if I pass out… something could go wrong."

"Hmm, then bear with it; I'll be gentle."

Casting aside stray thoughts, Ji Ming fetched a water bottle and Coagulation Powder, and began debridement and hemostasis for AdaiEr.

If it were Ji Ming from a few weeks ago, he would have been clumsy and error‑prone.

But after enough battlefield practice on countless patients, his handling of external injuries has become second nature.

As a warrior, AdaiEr's thigh is plump and supple, without dense hair or odd sores, making the suturing quite tidy and easy.

Soon, the hardest part of the treatment passed.

Bit by bit, using a small brush to apply the Third‑Generation elixir, Ji Ming exhaled and fell into thought.

Known—AdaiEr is under 1.7 meters tall, and when she goes out she only carries a small pouch besides her staff.

Known—The red‑armored person stands at least two meters tall, and judging from his stance fighting the demon bear, his weight is certainly substantial.

So in this desolate wilderness, where did AdaiEr pull such massive armor from?

And how did she shed it so quickly and hide it properly?

There is only one answer to that question.

Ji Ming has been yearning for it since childhood, and even now his glass cabinet still stores many answers.

—She can transform!

Ji Ming likes big things, but also loves iron things equally.

In fact, he's long coveted Xi Er Wei Ya's handsome armor, born of an angelic bloodline, impervious to aging or wear.

If he could have such a ready‑to‑wear treasure, wouldn't he soar?

Looks like he'll have to raise AdaiEr's affection level again and try asking how she got that armor.

Pondering, he fixed his gaze on the Bloodline Curse icon.

As long as he can find a way to resolve this forever, then…

"Hmm?"

As a responsible doctor, Ji Ming re‑checks the curse's activation deadline each time he sees AdaiEr.

But now he suddenly notices that a curse slated to erupt in over a week has inexplicably moved up to start in five days.

Is it because that equipment was used, or some other reason?

Considering future treatment, Ji Ming wrapped gauze around AdaiEr's thigh.

He wiped the fine sweat from his forehead and straightened up.

"Alright, stand up and give it a try."

AdaiEr leaned on her staff and walked two steps; as long as she's careful, there's no problem at all.

If she rests another night, she might fully regain the ability to walk normally.

She gave a weary smile.

"It's fine now, doctor."

"That's good then."

At this moment the forest had regained its silence, Ji Ming nodded and tilted his ear to listen for a while.

"The demon pig should have completely fled; let's cautiously head back and take a look."

Being careful all the way, they soon encountered their scattered companions.

Charlie and Baili, relying on their swift movements, hid in a tree amid the chaos and escaped the disaster.

Lao Bo'er came upon a relatively wide stream, and after clearing his scent, he shook off the pursuit.

Their luck was still pretty good, except Baili's calf was accidentally sliced open, which could be called barely a scratch.

Surviving the ordeal was naturally something to be grateful for, but no one could laugh about it.

Because until obvious battle marks appeared around them, they had not found any trace of Stone or Anna.

And when the demon pig killed, it did so with obvious venting of anger, so the fallen adventurers could not leave their bodies intact...

The atmosphere in the team grew increasingly heavy; the two of them were the inner and outer core of the squad, and if they fell here, Tie Suo would be considered collapsed.

"Enough."

Looking through the gaps in the canopy as the sky began to darken, Lao Bo'er let out a sigh.

"Let's go back; perhaps they were injured a bit and are hurrying back to the city for treatment."

No one would believe such self‑consoling words, but with things at this point, hope is faint.

Rather than linger here and invite further trouble, it's better to leave quickly, not letting our comrades' lives protecting us be in vain.

Tsk, at worst, we can come back with Xi Er Wei Ya tonight and look again...

Ji Ming didn't stage any riddling heroics; after smoothly treating Baili's leg wound, he closed the medicine box and prepared to withdraw.

But at that moment, he vaguely heard a shout near his ear.

The shout sounded very familiar, as if...

Ji Ming raised his hand in signal, leading everyone to move closer.

He brushed aside a patch of dense tall grass, and behind it was a natural root cave.