Chapter 45: The Struggle Continues

“What’s the hurry, Doctor Maxy?”

“I’d appreciate it if you don’t annoy me when I’m upset about breaking a medicine bottle, thanks!”

“You… never mind.”

The person outside left in anger after Maxy’s harsh words, despite their good intentions.

But Maxy didn’t mean it. After much thought, he still gave in to the two ruffians before him.

One was Cuihua, who had borrowed books from him before — someone he knew from Deepwood District, the child of an influential figure.

And this one?

Cradling Bruce, Maxy frowned at Aoki. Though it was hard to believe, a few seconds later he confirmed with shock.

Is this guy really Aoki?

In the Deepwood Sanctuary, as Bruce’s attending physician, Maxy had seen him once before.

A hero’s adviser in a vegetative state wakes up and, along with Cuihua, assaults me as a thug?

Truly astonishing!

“What do you want from me?”

Maxy had just drawn one conclusion from their words: they didn’t want him dead.

So Bruce still had a chance, as long as Maxy listened to them.

Had Maxy not planned to cooperate with these two just now, he might have risked Bruce’s life recklessly out of despair.

Seeing Maxy so compliant, Aoki and Cuihua exchanged a glance.

“I’m Aoki. You should recognize me, right?”

Aoki stepped forward, produced a pill, and squatted before Maxy, motioning for him to give it to Bruce.

Bruce’s eyes rolled back, tongue stretched long, blood oozing from his seven orifices, his belly bloated and limbs stiff — he looked nearly dead.

Maxy examined the antidote. After Aoki promised Bruce would recover, Maxy popped the pill into Bruce’s mouth.

He didn’t rush to speak with Aoki, instead waiting a few minutes until Bruce’s belly shrank slightly, showing clear signs of improvement, before responding:

“I know you — the hero’s adviser, survivor of the Demon King’s Castle massacre.”

Aoki nodded, pointing at Bruce. “Bruce was unfortunately poisoned, but don’t worry. I’m not the kind of villain who would harm a dog. I’ve prepared the antidote.

As long as you, Bruce’s brother, cooperate with me, Bruce will continue living healthily.

He’s so stubbornly cute, so I hope you won’t be cruel enough to kill him.”

“Poisoned by who?”

Maxy was baffled by Aoki’s subtle shift in meaning. Frowning, he asked, “Just say what you want me to do. I won’t reveal anything about you.”

Then he glanced at Cuihua, who avoided his gaze and said, “We won’t hurt you, Maxy.”

“Alright then. Please check my health.”

Aoki revealed his wrist, covered with dense needle marks, which puzzled Maxy. He recalled that when he first met Aoki in the Sanctuary, his wrist hadn’t looked like that.

When Aoki moved to sit down, Maxy seemed to understand their intent — they wanted to poison him to keep him quiet.

A faint unease rose in Maxy, as if he was about to be drawn into something serious.

Next, Maxy listened as Aoki described the symptoms while he began testing the composition of the strange potion inside Aoki’s body.

Nurse dog Bruce had already woken up. At first, he growled at Aoki and Cuihua, but quickly obeyed Maxy’s order to stay quiet, though still wary.

While waiting for the test results, Aoki unexpectedly noticed Cuihua reading a book — the same one she had given him about the fox girl. He recalled Cuihua had said the book came from Doctor Maxy.

“Doctor Maxy, do you know who the author of that book is?”

“No idea.”

Maxy glanced irritably at the book in Cuihua’s hands, then realized it was the one Cuihua wanted for Aoki, and shot Aoki a longer look.

After a while, Maxy got the test results and said to Aoki, “The results are in.”

“Is it a hallucinogen?”

Aoki looked at Maxy. Cuihua also leaned in, and her sudden movement made Bruce rise alertly.

“Relax.”

Maxy, almost as if taking revenge, refused to speak immediately. Instead, he went over and straightened the nurse hat on Bruce’s head, then leisurely said:

“Yes, it’s a hallucinogenic agent, but not just one type.

There are many residual compounds in your body. I noticed the less residue there is of a particular compound, the weaker its hallucinogenic effect.

In other words, each time you’re injected with the potion, it’s purer. The injector uses stronger doses more frequently. Understand?”

Aoki’s brow furrowed sharply upon hearing this.

So it really was a hallucinogen?

If Moonlan had been injecting him with this hallucinogen all along, wouldn’t he be getting more insane?

So the so-called simulated worlds were all fake — just hallucinations lasting one or two sessions?

But hallucinations don’t quite explain everything!

He clearly managed to bring Qi Decision and the Silver Bell; he successfully brewed pills.

Could these all be hallucinations?

If so, that would mean Moonlan was helping him?

What a joke.

How could this rare Saint ever help him?

She had reduced him to a vegetable!

But if the simulated worlds weren’t hallucinations, then where did the hallucinogenic components go?

“Then, can you connect me to the black market sources for these hallucinogens?”

Aoki temporarily set aside unrelated thoughts and asked Maxy.

“Cuihua, I never expected you to be a bandit bold enough to break into a law-abiding doctor’s clinic at night.

Now look at me. Do I look like some sanctimonious quack who secretly deals illegal goods on the black market?”

“Clearly, you don’t.”

Cuihua made Maxy’s face flush red with embarrassment.

“Doctor, your words are really biting.”

“Your methods are no better.”

Maxy disapproved of Aoki’s remarks even more. But if it had been anyone else Cuihua brought today, he might have just considered himself unlucky. But since it was the hero’s adviser before him…

Countless remarkable events flashed through his mind, making him increasingly curious about Aoki’s past.

“Alright. Please draw up a medical record. Make it detailed — as detailed as possible, so no one can doubt its authenticity.

But please omit any mention of my awakening.”

After Aoki finished speaking, Maxy squinted silently for a few seconds, then nodded.

Seeing Maxy cooperate so smoothly, Aoki and Cuihua were satisfied.

Next, Aoki would ensure this medical record fell into the hands of the anti-Saint faction in the church — those who coveted the Saint’s position and opposed Moonlan.

With this damaging information on Moonlan, they would undoubtedly rush to the black market to investigate, then tear into Moonlan’s weaknesses like hyenas.

Hopefully, this could finally stop Moonlan from tormenting the hero candidates.

The struggle continues.