When Lin Zaozao and her group arrived at Zhao Yingmei's yard, Zhao Yingmei's husbands had already been dragged out from the cellar by the villagers.
After getting down from Murong Hai's arms, Lin Zaozao forcibly steadied her frantically beating heart and turned to look at the men laid out on the ground.
There were twelve in total, all Zhao Yingmei's husbands. At this moment, their faces were all a purplish blue, and even their breathing was extremely weak.
It seemed like a gust of wind could blow away their lives at any moment.
Lin Zaozao had wanted to squat down and examine their bodies, but because her belly was too big, she couldn't even get into a squatting position now. She could only sit directly on the ground and reach out to the wrist of the man closest to her.
At the same time, Xiao Taohua and Ji Fantian also touched the wrists of Zhao Yingmei’s husbands. A moment later, Ji Fantian and Xiao Taohua released their hands at the same time, their expressions also becoming ugly.
This was the Deadly Centipede Venom.
This kind of venom was extremely sinister and vicious, and very difficult to resolve. Most importantly, it could tie the lives of the twelve men firmly together.
Out of these twelve people, if even one person could not be saved, then the others would have to die along with them.
But even if they could be saved, they had to be saved simultaneously. Otherwise they would still die.
Even with their excellent medical skills, it was impossible for them to save twelve people at the same time!
It seemed that the fate of Zhao Yingmei’s twelve bedroom husbands was set.
Just as Ji Fantian and Xiao Taohua were secretly speculating in their hearts, Lin Zaozao was communicating frantically with the system.
【Host, these twelve people have been poisoned by the Deadly Centipede Venom. You must save all twelve people simultaneously. If you only save one of them, the others will undoubtedly die.】
【Save twelve people simultaneously! But System, I only have two hands and ten fingers. How can I save twelve people at the same time?】
【Host, this is not an issue that the System should handle. Think of a way yourself.
Because this rescue mission is extremely difficult, the System can agree to upgrade your reward if you manage to save these twelve people simultaneously.】
【Upgrade my reward? Does that mean my Level 1 Marrow Cleansing Potion and Beauty Potion can become Level 2?】
【Correct. The effects of Level 2 Marrow Cleansing Potion and Beauty Potion are double that of Level 1.
However, host, the System will kindly remind you now – if you let others use the Level 2 potions, you will gain 4 jin of fat for every drop you give away!】
【Alright alright, I know. In order to not get fatter, I definitely won’t let others drink my potions.】
【Is that so? Host?】
【Oh shut up, you mongrel System!】
Collecting herself, Lin Zaozao looked at the twelve men neatly arranged in a row, somewhat at a loss for what to do for a moment.
What could she do to contact all twelve men simultaneously and save them?
Lin Zaozao stretched out her hand and looked at her fingers. Plump, no more no less, exactly ten. Ten fingers for ten people, still missing two.
Lin Zaozao lowered her head to look at her own fat little feet. Ah! She had an idea. She was lacking fingers but she could use her toes to make up the numbers.
And so, right in front of everyone, Lin Zaozao briskly took off her shoes, revealing her fat little feet.
“Hey everyone! This deity is too fat to stand now, pull Zhao Yingmei’s twelve husbands over to me. I have to perform some magic on them to dispel their bad luck, only then can I save their lives.”
Hearing Lin Zaozao’s words, the onlooking villagers were completely astonished. They had never heard of having to take off your shoes to save someone before.
But thinking back to the miracle Lin Zaozao displayed earlier of summoning lightning on a clear day, the villagers of Luoshui village had a strange sense of confidence in whatever Lin Zaozao was about to do now.
It was like no matter what she wanted to do, there must be a reason for it. After all, she was a living deity!
If the Great Immortal Lin said so, then it must be right.
And if Great Immortal Lin acted this way, then it must be the correct way.
Ji Fantian and the others glanced at Lin Zaozao’s fat little feet, then after hearing her instructions they took the initiative to carry Zhao Yingmei’s husbands over to Lin Zaozao’s side.
And so Lin Zaozao grasped the fingers of six of the men with both hands. The remaining six men had their noses shoved in front of Lin Zaozao’s smelly little feet.
Lin Zaozao stretched out her own neck and took a sniff, luckily the smell of her feet wasn’t too strong. Afterall she did wash them last night.
After making contact, Lin Zaozao only then mustered up the courage to close her eyes and start transferring their poison.
Because it was the first time simultaneously helping twelve people transfer illness and pain, Lin Zaozao felt it was especially difficult and uncomfortable this time during the transfer process.
As Lin Zaozao slowly transferred the pain and illness from the twelve men, she felt pain in her own body for the first time while helping others transfer illness and pain.
【System, why am I feeling pain? Didn't you say that transferring illness and pain for others would have no effect on me?】
【Host, this transfer has exceeded your capability. That is why during this transfer you feel the patients’ pain and suffering.
So that is also why the System agreed to let your reward upgrade from Level 1 to Level 2 despite you not completing your Level 1 task. 】
【Fine! To gain something, sacrifice must be made first! For the Level 2 reward, I will endure this!】
Feeling the increasingly intense pain in her body, Lin Zaozao couldn't help but grit her teeth tightly as she continued helping the twelve men transfer their pain and illness simultaneously.
Towards the end, Lin Zaozao’s face became paler and paler. Bean-sized beads of sweat now covered Lin Zaozao’s cheeks. Even her fat little body uncontrollably trembled slightly from the pain.
Seeing Lin Zaozao’s abnormal state, Gu Shan was first to move to Lin Zaozao’s side. He took hold of Lin Zaozao's hand, wanting to stop her transferring the poison and pain.
Injuring herself for the sake of others’ life and death was not worth it.
They could simply leave this place.
“Gu Shan, don’t disrupt me. I’ll be done soon. Don’t let my efforts go to waste halfway!”
Lin Zaozao strove to squeeze out a strained smile at Gu Shan as she continued transferring the pain and poisoning.
Damn it hurt so much.
She hoped that the Level 2 Marrow Cleansing Potion and Beauty Potion she was getting would be of even greater help to her!
Finally, when the faces of Zhao Yingmei’s twelve husbands had returned to normal colour, Lin Zaozao withdrew her hands and feet.
She turned to Gu Shan with a “hehe” grin before falling straight back.
“Lin Zaozao!”
“Little fatty!”
“Lin Xiaohua!”
“...”
Hearing the shouts around her as her consciousness faded, Lin Zaozao finally could no longer hold on and blacked out. As she lost consciousness, she couldn't help cursing the System ten thousand times in her heart.
Damn, she knew there was no such thing as a free lunch. The more her rewards were upgraded, the more severe the pain she suffered from helping others transfer illness and pain would be in future!
Gu Shan toppled out of his wheelchair and onto the ground, tightly holding Lin Zaozao in his feeble arms.
He looked at Lin Zaozao’s protruding belly and pale face, his gaze like icy daggers.
Damn things, actually targeting Zaozao.
Since they were so desperate to die, he didn’t mind sending them to hell sooner!
Originally, the gathered villagers couldn’t help marveling when they witnessed Lin Zaozao miraculously saving twelve people with just a touch.
But when they felt the thick killing intent emanating from Gu Shan’s body, they instinctively backed away far from him.
Lin Xiaohua’s crippled husband just had too terrifying of an aura. It was as if just approaching him, they didn’t even have the strength to breathe. The energy coming from him made their legs turn soft. Heavens! It seemed this crippled husband of Lin Xiaohua’s background was not simple!
“Gu Shan, Zaozao is tired, we should bring her back.”
Murong Hai walked to Gu Shan’s side, tentatively reaching out to take the Lin Zaozao in his arms, only to withdraw his hand again when faced with Gu Shan’s icy cold stare.
“Gu Shan, Zaozao always wanted to live in Luoshui Village. You had better not cause trouble here.”
Ji Fantian's words made Gu Shan's cold eyes flicker slightly.
Yes! He had said early on that she did not like going around everywhere. Her wish was to live in Luoshui Village all along.
So he had to protect everything she wanted to have in Luoshui Village for her, and not let her be sad there in the future.
Gu Shan hugged Lin Zaozao closer to his chest, then propped himself up with one hand on the ground, intending to get Lin Zaozao to sit in the wheelchair. But the weakness in his legs ultimately made him fall to the ground.
Looking at his powerless legs, there was not only coldness but also self-reproach in Gu Shan's eyes.
Ever since he was injured, this was the first time he resented his numb lower body. If his legs were not wasted, he could have carried Zaozao back by himself now.
"Gu Shan, let me carry her!"
Murong Hai walked up to Gu Shan and asked softly.
"Give her back to me later," Gu Shan enunciated word for word.
"Okay. I'll give her back to you when we get back," Murong Hai agreed.
With Gu Shan's consent, Murong Hai carried the fainted Lin Zaozao by the waist towards his own yard.
Watching Murong Hai's departing back, Gu Shan glanced at Zhao Yingmei who was crying while supporting her unconscious husband. His eyes were full of murderous intent.
If not for her, Zaozao would not have fainted either. But ultimately, the person behind the scenes was targeting them.
Since that bastard could not find any flaws in them, he wanted to make a move on Zaozao instead.
Gu Shan looked up at the azure blue sky.
Sky, it's time for you to change too.
Propping himself on the ground with one hand, Gu Shan swiveled his body and sat in the wheelchair Lin Zaozao had bought for him, then headed towards the yard gate.
Watching Gu Shan's departing back, Ruo Qiu, Ye Yi and the others then looked at Zhao Yingmei's husbands who were gradually regaining consciousness.
After politely nodding to the old village chief, Ye Yi and the others left without a word.
Was that person really so impatient?
He had already crippled them, and now he still wanted to kill them all? If so, then they could no longer show mercy either.
However, his plan did not succeed this time. They did not know what else he would come up with next.
When Gu Shan returned to the yard, Lin Zaozao was already lying in her own bed. Ji Fantian and the others had also followed Gu Shan back.
Ji Fantian grabbed Lin Zaozao's wrist. It was only after a long moment that he let go and said, "Lin Zaozao is fine. She fainted because she suffered extreme distress which caused her body to collapse."
Ji Fantian's words did not relieve everyone.
Looking at Lin Zaozao lying unconscious on the bed with a ghastly pale complexion, they could not help but recall that when she was awake, this yard that should have been desolate was filled with laughter every day.
They had found her extremely irritating with how lively she was all day.
But now, seeing her just lying quietly on the bed, a strange gloom hovered in their chests.
