Chapter 802: The Snake and the Antidote (1/2, please subscribe)

According to Qing Chen's explanation.

I'm afraid that even ordinary fish, once placed in Han Jiang, after being soaked and altered by the environment, would also turn into red-eyed monster fish.

"I wonder if you've noticed that the red-eyed monster fish that jumped onto the deck — the number of eyes on each one is actually random, not arranged identically. Some are covered all over with red eyes, others only grew a few."

……Who, like you, is so freakin' weird as to care about something like this.

The group exchanged glances and shook their heads in unison.

Fang Yue asked, "Is there some significance to this?"

"It's simple. It means the length of time they've been parasitized is different — like the early and late stages of similar symptoms."

"Parasitized?" Fang Yue's brow furrowed slightly.

"Mm. The water of Han Jiang contains something — something like a parasite — that infects the fish. I don't know what those red eyes are connected to. But the parasitized fish, even if they didn't jump onto the deck, would sooner or later be decomposed as nourishment by the red eyes parasitizing inside them and die. Jing Yan's situation right now is the same, and this parasitic state, when placed in a human body, seems to make the parasitization process faster."

Jing Yan was instantly scared pale.

"Th-th-then what should I do? Qing Chen! Chen-ge! Chenchen!!"

Qing Chen's face darkened, and he said, a bit irritably, "Don't rush. Since it's a parasite, as long as it has no consciousness of its own, it only has two purposes: the first is reproduction. The second is to find the next host."

"The reproduction step is already mostly complete inside you — the number is clearly far more than in fish. And if you let them keep reproducing, you won't be able to hold on either."

Fang Yue saw Qing Chen speaking with such ease, and felt slightly relieved.

Based on his understanding of Qing Chen, the other man should have already come up with some idea.

"Qing Chen, stop keeping us in suspense. Just say it straight — how do we save Jing Yan?"

"It's actually very simple. There are only two things to do. The first is to stop the red eyes inside Jing Yan from continuing to reproduce and worsen. The second is to channel them — guide the red eyes to the next host."

"The next host?" Fang Yue's expression shifted several times upon hearing this. "You mean to have someone else take Jing Yan's place and be parasitized by the red eyes?"

"Yes!"

"……What do you think of me?"

Fang Yue has the Breath of Night, so most curses seem to be something he can resist.

But facing the reproductive ability of the red monster eyes, combined with the fact that his own injuries had not yet fully healed, Fang Yue was also a bit unsure whether he could withstand this wave.

"Ye Ge, you can't! You have to remember your identity — you're the one summoned by the Holy Domain to go to the capital to face the Emperor. If something happens to you, even if we all survive, we'll still face pursuit by Qing Guo, with nowhere left to take shelter."

"Then you mean……"

Qing Chen looked around the circle, then slowly pointed upward.

Tian Ruichi's escort team members??

Fang Yue immediately understood, but his face showed hesitation.

To be honest, this wasn't quite right — after all, it was Jing Yan's own lack of strength that got him cursed by the strange monster fish. On what grounds should someone else take the punishment for him? Aren't other people's lives lives too?

But psychologically, emotionally, Fang Yue would rather have someone chosen from the escort team Tian Ruichi brought make the sacrifice than see Jing Yan come to harm.

People have their close and distant relations. Under the influence of this harsh environment in the game, Fang Yue had long since lost all the bottom lines he once had.

"How many people are needed as hosts? How dangerous is it…… no, forget it. Lin Ling, go call down all of Tian Ruichi's Special Envoy team people, and let Tian Ruichi know too — if anything happens to the people he brought, I'll give a generous pension and promise to protect the safety of their families."

"No! Xiao Ye, wait! Look at me — can I withstand the parasitism of these red eyes? Why don't I be the host?"

Hearing Lin Ling's refusal, he extended his hand in front of Fang Yue.

Fang Yue slowly raised his head to look at him.

Fang Yue understood that Lin Ling was kind-hearted — even after going through so much, he was still that same young man, Captain Lin of Gu Yue Cun.

It's just that……

Fang Yue firmly shook his head.

"Lin Ling, I won't let you take the risk, and you shouldn't take the risk yourself. Before Hua Wuye died, she entrusted you to me…… your life is no longer just your own — it's also Hua Wuye's. Even for her sake, you should live on properly."

At the mention of Hua Wuye, Lin Ling fell silent at once and didn't make another sound.

Fang Yue then pushed Lin Ling's hand away, took another look at Jing Yan — anxious and frustrated, almost on the verge of tears, trembling all over with panic — and sighed.

This guy must be about to burst, dying to shout for someone to come help transfer the parasites out of him, but such shameless words — he seemed to still have a shred of face, and didn't dare shout them out…… Oh, wait, no — his face was pale, he was so choked up he could barely breathe, he just couldn't stop himself, that's all.

Fang Yue understood that Jing Yan's situation had reached a critical, life-threatening stage. Without further hesitation, he personally headed toward the deck, intending to go call people.

But he had only walked halfway when he heard Qing Chen suddenly slap his forehead and say, "Wait! I've got it!"

"Got what?"

The others asked curiously, and Fang Yue also turned his head to look.

Qing Chen pushed up his nonexistent glasses again: "A host!"

"What?"

"A host, that's right. Do you guys remember those red-eyed monster fish stuck to the hull? That adhesion is actually transferring parasites! In other words, this ship itself is the biggest and best host!"

Fang Yue was stunned for a moment, then overjoyed.

"Doesn't that mean we can just have the red eyes inside Jing Yan transfer directly and parasitize the ship!"

"Exactly! In theory it's feasible! And there's another thing — we've been overlooking a problem this whole time. The Han Jiang giant ship is actually in constant contact with Han Jiang. Even with no one aboard, it still rides up and down on Han Jiang. It's clearly an existence that could be parasitized by the red-eyed monster fish, yet for so many years nothing has happened — what do you think the reason is?"

Qing Chen's words left Fang Yue a bit confused.

But Jing Yan, who was about to give out, instantly understood his meaning. He got so excited he slapped the wooden board, veins bulging, and squeezed out two words.

"Antibodies!"

Antibodies?

Fang Yue and Lin Ling exchanged a glance, still a bit baffled — but Jing Yan and Qing Chen really were good buddies, telepathically linked.

Fang Yue and Lin Ling didn't get it, but Jing Yan understood it at once.

"Exactly! Antibodies! To be precise, it should be some kind of correction similar to antibodies — a response to…… uh, explaining this to you guys is a bit of a hassle. Mm, you know venomous snakes, right? Near the areas where some venomous snakes are active, there will be a corresponding antidote. The Han Jiang giant ship and Han Jiang should have a similar relationship……"

Fang Yue could barely follow, but he just told Qing Chen to skip the explanation step: "Just say straight what we need to do?"

"Very simple — make Jing Yan eat the wooden board!"

(End of this chapter)