The two continued to walk tens of meters further, and the branching paths became more numerous, but these were nothing to Ren Yuanhao.
With the system by his side, what was there to fear?
"Jing'er, it's highly likely we'll encounter that man later. Remember, when I have you hide in the side paths beforehand, you must conceal yourselves and remain silent. Wait until I lure them away, and then you can meet me at the next branching path. Don't wander off carelessly."
"Yuanhao, how can you let us know in advance? And, if we leave, you'll be alone~"
"You don't need to ask about that. Just do as I say when the time comes. If you stay with me, it will only distract me. Do you understand?"
She nodded, harboring questions but deeming it inappropriate to ask at such a critical juncture.
The two walked a few more steps, the cold stone walls and dripping liquid making them extremely uncomfortable. A feeling akin to claustrophobia, like an invisible giant hand, constricted their necks, making even breathing heavy.
"Hey, what's wrong?"
Ren Yuanhao was walking forward when he suddenly heard Zhang Jing's footsteps behind him falter. He turned to see her leaning against the stone wall, breathing heavily. Under the dim green light, her eyelashes fluttered, and her skin seemed as if it could be broken by a touch, conjuring a faint resemblance to Ye Lan.
"I'm fine, perhaps it's just been too long since I've walked in such a dark place. My chest feels rather tight."
Zhang Jing took deep breaths, and at that moment, both of them heard a strange rustling sound from above and to their right!
"Careful!"
Ren Yuanhao's reaction was naturally swift. He lunged forward, shielding Zhang Jing, while something appeared in his hand!
"Ugh~"
Ren Yuanhao grunted, feeling his arm go numb.
It was a vividly colored snake, its venomous fangs now embedded in Ren Yuanhao's forearm. He knew very well that this type of snake was called an E Wo Snake in their region. If bitten, and without timely treatment, muscle atrophy would occur within 24 hours, leading to irreversible damage or even death!
He flung the snake onto the ground and crushed its head with his foot. The wound was already swelling and reddening at a visible rate.
Seeing this, Zhang Jing immediately put the little girl down, quickly tore off a piece of cloth from her waist, and tied it tightly around Ren Yuanhao's arm. With immense guilt, she said, "It's all my fault for not being vigilant enough. If I had reacted faster..."
"It's not your fault, I'm fine." Ren Yuanhao just smiled, while with his other hand, he continuously squeezed pus and blood from the wound. Fine beads of sweat had already appeared on his face.
"No, no, no, you're not fine, but the almighty System Store has a miraculous antidote!"
The system's cunning voice echoed in his mind.
"I've seen plenty of these snakes since I was a child. Don't try to trick me into buying some ridiculously expensive pills."
"Oh? Hero, don't worry. After you die, I'll definitely offer a couplet at your memorial service. The left one will read 'died without regret,' and the right one will read 'deserved to die.' How's that for immersion?"
"Stop chattering. This poison won't kill anyone."
"Take a good look at its head. Can you feel your wound starting to stiffen and itch unbearably?"
Ren Yuanhao looked at the crushed snake head. He saw what appeared to be fleshy bumps growing on both sides. To the older generation, these were known as snake crowns. Whether venomous or not, a crown indicated that the snake had gained sentience and transcended its species to exist independently!
In plain terms, this was a tale passed down through generations by the elders, and its veracity required careful consideration.
However, the stiffness and intense itching around Ren Yuanhao's wound were undeniably real!
"Detoxifying Pill, 500 points per pill. It's truly a must-have medicine for travel and home. What do you say? Don't hesitate to act; buy one and try it!"
—Damn it, have you been watching too many TV infomercials lately! 500 points! Why don't you just rob a bank!
Ren Yuanhao, of course, wouldn't dare roar at the system like that. After all, the system's knowledge far surpassed his own. Since it claimed the snake was unusual, and his wound was indeed acting strangely, he suspected it was likely true.
"So, have you made up your mind?"
"Fine, you win. I've wasted my efforts today! Let's make the exchange."
Ren Yuanhao felt a surge of frustration. He had planned to earn 1000 points that day and had encountered such a setback. This was likely what they called "trying to steal a chicken only to lose the rice."
A hero is someone who can preserve their life. One without life is a heroic spirit.
Ren Yuanhao had no intention of meeting death bravely at the moment.
Under the cover of the dim surroundings, he discreetly swallowed the Detoxifying Pill. In a moment, the swelling, stiffness, and intense itching on his hand vanished without a trace.
"Yuanhao?"
Zhang Jing had already finished tying his arm to prevent the poisoned blood from spreading.
Just then, a muffled 'clanging' sound faintly echoed from within the cave!
"I'm fine. It seems the times are about to change. Let's hurry."
The two proceeded, one after the other. With the previous incident as a lesson, they became increasingly vigilant, advancing cautiously with every step.
After about three to five minutes, they arrived at another branching path. They were now very close to the employer's location. Ren Yuanhao began to speak in a hushed tone, "Take this little one and hide in this dead-end path. After I lure them out, you can make a dash for it."
Ren Yuanhao wished he could engrave a map and hand it to Zhang Jing, to facilitate their escape.
"Are you really alright?"
Zhang Jing felt deeply guilty. If he had to take another risk, her heart would be extremely uneasy.
"Don't worry, people like me are as tough as cockroaches. Hurry and hide."
Ren Yuanhao stretched his limbs, prepared for a fierce battle.
"Yuanhao, thank you. If it weren't for you..."
"Hoo, my lady, if you want to thank me, let's do it after we've escaped."
Ren Yuanhao pushed the two into a hidden side path. After they were concealed, he let out a heavy sigh and strode towards the exit.
Not long after, he saw the faint green light emanating from a large stone cave opening. A man and a woman seemed to be conversing without rest.
"Brother, why don't we stop? We've endured over twenty years, and we've all come this far. Why must we..."
Yin Shili's words were cut short by another gloomy, dry voice.
"What nonsense are you talking about! We have the medicinal formula, and we have the catalyst. You're telling me to stop now? Can we even stop?"
The male voice sped up, like water droplets cascading noisily in a karst cave.
"Think about it, we've already done it. If we let go now, do you think we'll get off scot-free? Besides, don't you yearn for the sun radiating its scorching light, the evening clouds and sunset hues drifting in the sky, the myriad worlds bathed in bright light? Your brilliant writing should be used to traverse mountains and rivers, taste all the world's delicacies, and fall into a passionate romance!"