Brother Zhou stammered, "I've been poisoned."
"If you're poisoned, then cure it! Your expression made me think something serious happened!" Zhao Wen breathed a sigh of relief at the conclusion, even letting out a curse.
It wasn't entirely his fault for being relieved. Brother Zhou was the army's top detox specialist.
He had brought Brother Zhou along on this mission precisely because of this expertise.
To his surprise, as he spoke, Brother Zhou's face turned beet red. "Director Zhao, this... this..."
"What is this? Are you trying to drive me crazy today!" Zhao Wen sounded like he'd eaten gunpowder. Huo Rou's complexion was grim, and the enemy leader was acting far too wildly.
His heart was in his mouth, unable to settle.
"I can't cure it!" Brother Zhou said, his voice laced with embarrassment and shame.
Zhao Wen was stunned, as were the subordinates who had gathered around.
Was there a poison in this world that Brother Zhou couldn't cure?
"Brother Zhou, you must be careful right now. Could you take another look? This is someone the higher-ups specifically ordered us to escort. It won't do if something happens to her under our watch."
Brother Zhou's face fell. "Would I damage my own reputation to fool you? This poison, I truly cannot cure it."
"I've never seen anything like it, and I can't even identify some of its components. Judging from both the young lady's expression and the prisoner's appearance, they are both poisoned. And their pulses also indicate poisoning."
"Then what do we do? Captain Huo absolutely cannot have an accident." Zhao Wen lowered his voice as he spoke, pulling Brother Zhou aside.
"Brother Zhou, we have a friendship. You must help me. This is the captain who saved me from dire straits. You absolutely must find a way to save her!"
Brother Zhou returned and re-examined the pulses.
He frowned, then went to the prisoner leader and checked his pulse as well.
The man was writhing on the ground in pain. Brother Zhou, feeling his chaotic pulse, looked up at Huo Rou with confusion.
It was the same poison, yet the pulses were not entirely similar.
Furthermore, the leader appeared to have lost his sanity, while Huo Rou remained relatively normal.
Brother Zhou took out silver needles from his bag. After instructing several soldiers to hold the leader still, he inserted several needles into his head.
The leader, who was on the verge of screaming from the pain, regained a sliver of consciousness. Brother Zhou seized the moment to ask, "Where is the antidote?"
The leader, dazed with pain, looked at him. Upon hearing the question, his face filled with hatred. He spat.
"There is no antidote!"
"Where is the antidote? Speak quickly. If you do, I might spare your life." Zhao Wen grabbed his clothes, wishing he could kill him.
The leader cried out in agony, his words broken, "Kill me quickly, I can't take it anymore. Just kill me!"
"Where is the antidote!" He thought this was the leader evading the question. He reached out and grabbed his throat, forcing him to look him in the eye.
"There is no antidote! If there were, I would have taken it long ago! This poison is incurable! Incurable!" the leader shouted. "Kill me quickly! If I endure any longer, I won't be able to. Please, kill me!"
"You want to die?" Huo Rou looked at him with eyes devoid of emotion. Her pale lips parted slightly. "Your hidden weapon was aimed at my son. Did you think I would let you die easily?"
"I'm treating you like this, kill me!" the leader tried to provoke Huo Rou. "I wanted to kill your son, kill you, and prevent you from going to Taichuan City. If you have the guts, kill me!"
Huo Rou walked up to him step by step. A small curve formed on her lips. In a voice only they could hear, she said, "This is just a gripping pain in your internal organs right now. You haven't tasted the torment that follows. It would be a pity to die now."
"You... you're...!" Although the leader's mind was not as sharp as it used to be, he could understand the hidden meaning in Huo Rou's words without much thought.
Before he could finish, Huo Rou reached out and pulled out a needle from his head. It was already the last moment. With the needle removed, the man immediately began to writhe on the ground again, groaning incessantly.
Huo Rou returned the needle to Brother Zhou and calmly instructed, "This needle should be completely sterilized before being discarded."
Brother Zhou nodded in agreement. He then cautiously asked, "Are you feeling unwell anywhere? My acupuncture skills are decent; I can relieve the pain..."
"No need," Huo Rou refused flatly.
If this poison could be completely alleviated by acupuncture, it would not be so formidable.
"Zhao Wen, pack these people up and take them back. Question them thoroughly." Huo Rou pulled An An into the car and gave Zhao Wen his instructions, urging him, "Let's go. Time is of the essence. I need to get to Taichuan City as soon as possible."
To avoid further complications, Zhao Wen did not press Brother Zhou further. He arranged for his men to hastily load the captured miscellaneous individuals into the trunk and then continued to escort Huo Rou to the airport.
Before they even reached the airport, Qin Ningyi's call came through.
Huo Rou, who was closing her eyes to fight the pain and fatigue within her body, suddenly saw his caller ID. For some reason, she felt a pang of apprehension.
She cleared her throat before answering, "Hello."
"I've arrived in Taichuan City."
"Okay, I understand."
Qin Ningyi listened to Huo Rou's voice. Although it wasn't different from usual, something felt strange to him.
Under the watchful eyes of Zou Xiaoxiao and the old housekeeper, he suddenly stopped walking, his face etched with a hint of seriousness. "What's wrong?"
That simple question almost made Huo Rou confess her grievances.
She took a breath and looked out the window. "Nothing, just a bit tired. I'll take a nap."
Qin Ningyi glanced at the sky. At this hour, people should have woken up from their afternoon naps.
"You didn't nap?" he asked with concern.
Huo Rou didn't know how to explain. She couldn't tell him about today's itinerary, and she certainly couldn't tell him she had been poisoned.
On the phone, only Huo Rou's soft breaths could be heard. Qin Ningyi eventually decided not to pry. "Then get some rest. You shouldn't sleep too long during the day, or you'll get a headache. Remember to set an alarm."
"Okay," Huo Rou nodded obediently. She hesitated for a moment. "Qin Ningyi."
"Yes?"
"When are you coming back?" For some reason, hearing his doting voice, Huo Rou was reluctant to hang up and made small talk.
A moment of silence. The airport's announcements brought Qin Ningyi back to his senses. He let out a light, gentle laugh.
This smile, to Zou Xiaoxiao, was so foreign and yet so longed for.
"Is A'rou missing me?"
In that tender voice, Huo Rou felt as though her pain had lessened. She bit her lip. Though she knew Qin Ningyi couldn't see her, she still smiled.
"Yes."
"At the latest, I'll be back in a week. Be good at home, don't overwork yourself, and take care of yourself."